The Vampire's Daughter
by Anchorage86
Summary: SEQUEL TO DANGEROUS OBSESSION. Bella has protected Lucy all her life and now Lucy wants answers to her past,has Lucy really fallen in love with one of the Volturi and what does Aro want with Bella? Can Edward save Bella and stitch the family back together
1. Chapter 1

**The Vampire's Daughter...**

**Lucy has just finished her senior year of high school. She lives in Monaco with her mother Bella. She knows that something isn't right about Bella, but her mother has never admitted anything. Bella won't talk about the past, though Lucy is desperate to trace her family roots, Bella tells her that her father is dead, and he was a one night stand...**

**Bella writes novels and some poetry under an alias name. Her work is famous across southern Europe, yet she remains anonymous. She is over protective of Lucy and spoils her to no end. But Lucy rebels and dislikes her mother...**

**What happens when The Volturi come to Monaco to attend a prestigious art exhibition? And how does Lucy escape to America to find her past, and to seek out the immortal life she desperately wants...**

**SEQUEL TO DANGEROUS OBSESSION (please read dangerous obsession first before reading this... it won't make sense otherwise!)**

**CHAPTER 1**

**Lucy's Point of View: A back alley in the streets of Monaco...**

The muffled music coming from a nearby club was thudding loudly, there was laughter and empty bottles echoing across the stone paved alley. Young adults and teenagers were lounging up against the brick walls, cigarette smoke trailing across the dim lighted area. It was here, in this notorious alley that I felt most comfortable, and happy...

My friends and I had just finished senior year at Lycee Albert, the best private school in the country, we were celebrating tonight, with cheap wine, skimpy outfits and underage clubbing, and it was no different to what we usually did on a Saturday night...

My friend, Micha, a pretentious girl with long blonde hair, who claimed to have royal blood (but failed to mention she was the illegitimate daughter of the current monarch), passed the cheap bottle of chardonnay...

"Drink up Môn Cherie!" she said excitedly to me... I took the bottle and took a swig... it was sour and dry, but I drank it anyway... There were five of us in the alley, huddled in a doorway... Micha and Yasmine, who was just as pretentious, were my closest friends, they both had long blonde hair, and sun kissed skin. Then there was James and Laurent. James had always had a crush on me, he was definitely cute, but I knew he was a player; his blonde hair and deep tan were probably the only good qualities about him. Laurent was a little more quiet and reserved, he was Yasmine's boyfriend and he adored her...

I passed the bottle around our little group, as I lit up a cigarette. I tilted my head back and let the smoke blow up into the light summer wind... mother would take one sniff from my bedroom doorway when I got home later tonight, and be able to tell I had been smoking... she would be pissed... I didn't care she could get as mad as she wanted to, she would usually fly into a rage and sob and scream at me, and then within minutes she would break down and apologise to me, tell me how much she loved me, how she just wanted what's best for me, and then spoil me with clothes and make up... I had her figured out... well... almost figured out...

"Hello? Lucy?" said James arrogantly waving his hands in front of me... "You in there?" he said flashing me an almost too white smile... My dark thoughts centring on my mother were broken...

I shook my head and dropped my cigarette on the stone pavement, squishing it out with the toe of my shoe...

"Sorry what did you say?" I asked him rudely...

"You want to get into rose fonce`?" he said eyeing me up and down, his dark blue eyes lingered on my chest for longer than necessary...

"Oh yes! Let's go! I think I've drunk enough to get me started!' said Micha, as she slung her arm over my pale shoulders...

"Yasmine, stop sucking face with Laurent for two seconds, so we can get going already!" said Micha in disgust as she flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder... James raised his eyebrows at me and winked as we stumbled off down the alley to "Rose Fonce`" a hip, underground nightclub, notorious for letting underage kids in with fake ID's...

'Why don't you just get with him already?" said Micha, whispering loudly in my ear... she giggled and looked behind us to where James was walking... Yasmine and Laurent were in tow, wrapped tightly around each other...

"Stop it!" I said to her roughly and tugged her along, so there was more distance between James and us...

"Oh you're such a prude!" she laughed at me... I scowled at my best friend as we approached the back door of Rose Fonce`.

'Hello Fredrick..." purred Micha, as she sauntered up to the door man...Every Saturday night there was a different door man, but Micha knew them all...

"Micha! My _minette sexy'_ (my sex kitten)" said Fredrick, the tall, over steroid bouncer who guarded the back door of the club tonight...

The rest of us stood to the side, holding our breath, waiting for Micha to do her work... every Saturday night, she would charm and flirt with the bouncer to see how many of us he could get in...

James came up beside me and brushed a strand of my long red hair off my face...

"You look very beautiful tonight' he whispered to me...

'Thanks' was all I said in return, avoiding his gaze... He snickered at me and shook his head slightly, inhaling on his cigarette...

"Five of you?" said Fredrick, as he glanced up over Micha's shoulder...he didn't seem impressed...

Micha pouted her big baby pink glossed lips and ever so slightly passed him what must have been cash into his hand... she leaned in closer to him and whispered something in his ear... he smiled and licked his lower lip slightly...

Micha beckoned for us to follow her through the door...

"You better call me Micha!" said Fredrick, as the door closed behind us...

Micha squealed in delight, at her successful flirting...

"Stupid old man..." she said rudely as we side stepped over the crates of wine and alcohol, and then slipped out into the main area of the club, almost as if we stepped out from the shadows...

The club was packed with the wealthy young professionals of the city. Colourful cocktails and sparkling jewellery lit up the low level lighted room, and the five of us were lounged across a dark pink velvet lounge, several empty bottles scattering the low table in front of us...

We had been here for a couple of hours... and were incredibly drunk... James had found some older woman that he was making out with, occasionally looking over to me to get a reaction from me... Laurent and Yasmine were once again sucking face... and Micha was texting furiously on her phone, her smooth forehead creased into concentration...

"What's wrong?' I asked her lovingly, leaning my head on her bare tanned shoulder... the alcohol making me warm and fuzzy... the music was loud and 'Mr Saxobeat' a popular euro club song was blaring out of the enormous speakers...

Micha sighed and started tapping her well heeled foot... "I met this guy the other night, he's... a little older... But he's so charming! He promised he would come out tonight...but I've been texting him for hours, and he hasn't shown up yet... I never get ditched! I don't get it!" she said frustrated...

He must have been pretty hot for Micha to get upset about it; normally she wouldn't have wasted her time and would have moved onto the next one...

James kept looking at me, getting impatient as he made out with his cougar, and Micha was pouting and looking depressed, Yasmine and Laurent were ignoring us, and I was starting to lose the excitement for the night...

'Come on!' I said to her and pulled her up from the couch,

"Hey!" she said in drunken protest!

"Let's dance!" I said exasperated... I didn't want to go home... I wanted to be anywhere other than home...

I pushed our way onto the dance floor, and started dancing up against Micha, she laughed loudly and threw her hands in the air, she came around quickly and started busting out her slutty moves, and I laughed at her dancing and joined in, swinging my hips from side to side... Micha started eye fucking some of the men on the dance floor, and they responded only too eagerly...

After a couple of songs, a slight sweat had built up on my arms and I started slowing down... Micha was still going strong and then suddenly she stopped mid move and squealed in delight... I followed her gaze and my mouth hung open... emerging from the crowd, was the most gorgeous man I had ever seen... his hair was a dark blonde and tousled over his forehead, he was tall and muscular with broad shoulders, a dark blue shirt clothed his chest, and he had dark dress pants on... his skin was so smooth and pale... it was hard to make out all his features in this lighting...

He greeted Micha with a kiss on each cheek; she was clinging onto his neck and staring up into his handsome face... Then he glanced over at me... His movements were quick and fluid... I gasped in surprise as I saw his face from full view...

"No way" I thought to myself...

Micha saw him looking at me and she quickly made the introductions...

"Lucy this is Ambrose... Ambrose this is Lucy... My best friend" she said enunciating the last two words rather firmly...

Ambrose's startling blue eyes roamed over me quickly and he bent over my hand to kiss it... his touch was cold, I shivered at the possibility that he was like my mother...

"I am pleased to meet you Môn Cherie" he said in a mixed accent... I scowled slightly and tilted my head to the side...

"You sound Italian... but there is something else behind the Italian..." I said without thinking... the alcohol was still buzzing around my system, and I felt incoherent...

Ambrose looked at me stunned for a minute and then burst into laughter... Micha joined in the laughter uncertain of what she was actually laughing about...

"You're good..." he said to me, his gaze fixed on my lips...

"I'm from Russia originally..." he said shrugging his shoulders... he had disentangled himself from Micha...

"Let's get a drink..." said Micha, clinging onto his arm again... people on the dance floor were starting to push into us, and Micha and I were having a hard time standing up, the music was blaring and I was leaning into hear what Micha was saying...

Ambrose stood perfectly still, nobody was bumping into him, he could hear perfectly well...

He was definitely like my mother... I wasn't sure if I should be excited or afraid...

We had made our way over to the bar, and Micha and I sat ourselves down on the plush bar stools, Ambrose wedged his tall, broad frame in between us and ordered champagnes for Micha and I.

Micha was chattering away to him consistently... flashing her white teeth and twirling the end of her blonde hair around her well manicured finger... I was sitting on the barstool with my back towards the bar, looking out at the crowd, he made me nervous... I couldn't be sure if he was whatever my mother was... But they were almost identical in the way they moved, always poised, perfect posture...

Ambrose would smile at Micha and then his gaze would flick over to me... I smiled into my drink, appreciative of the attention... Micha was starting to get annoyed at me; she kept throwing daggers at me with her eyes...

After another half hour of listening to Micha brag about her to Ambrose, and Ambrose continually staring at me... I decided to leave... I was bored and didn't want to get on Micha's bad side... I sculled the rest of my drink and sat it down loudly on the bar... Micha's gaze flickered up to me...

"Oh are you leaving honey?" she asked half disappointed, half hopeful...

I hopped down from the bar stool and steadied myself, Ambrose's arms shot out far too quickly to be possible and steadied me, although it was completely unnecessary... I felt myself blush deeply...

"Leaving so soon?" he purred at me, his unnaturally blue eyes staring into my own deep brown eyes...

He still had his grip on my forearms... his touch was so very cold... I started to get goose bumps... was I cold, or afraid...?

"Don't be afraid..." he whispered so quietly I wasn't sure if I heard it... I stared at him in surprise...

"Errrrr" I said stupidly and then shook my head slightly...

He dropped my arms... "Sorry Micha, but I have to get up early tomorrow... or today?' I said looking down at my diamond encrusted watch... it was close to 2am

Micha slid off her stool and came to give me a big hug...

"Ok darling... "She cooed at me...

'Don't you think he's just divine..." she purred into my hair... and then she giggled...

I heard Ambrose snigger and I disentangled myself from my friend...

"You'll be ok to get home won't you? I would walk you outside but I really need to go to the bathroom!" she said apologetically to me as she held me back at arm's length...

"I'll call you tomorrow... we still need to continue planning our trip to the Greek Islands for end of school celebrations! Ok?" she said sternly...

She knew I wasn't keen on going... but I wouldn't have a choice in the matter...

"I'll be right back... don't you go anywhere!" said Micha to Ambrose, slapping him playfully on the arm... she ran off to the bathroom...

I looked up at Ambrose nervously...

'It was nice to meet you..." I said shyly as I turned to leave...

"Lucy... you're not walking home _alone_ are you?" he asked concerned his thick accent rolling over his r's.

I turned back to look at him... "It's not that far" I said as I turned around again and darted into the crowd, making my way to the exit...

I pushed my way out and walked quickly past the line up that was trying to get in to the club... I bent my head down and continued walking along the stone pavement, my high heels tapping along the surface... I lived in a beautiful apartment overlooking the Monte Carlo harbour, it was up a rather steep hill, and was not looking forward to the slow stagger I would make up to my home...

I really hoped mother was still at her art exhibition with her snobby friend Christina, though considering it was close to 2am she would surely be home by now, I never took my phone with me anywhere... mother always called me nonstop checking up on me, she thought I was at Micha's house watching "movies" and having a slumber party... none of my friends had ever met my mother...

"I don't like the idea of you walking home alone" said a voice beside me...

I screamed and was broken from my dark thoughts as Ambrose appeared silently beside me... I clutched my chest where my heart was and exhaled loudly... I smiled at my stupidity...

"I didn't mean to frighten you...' he said softly... we had stopped on a street corner, the lamp lights flickering romantically on the tourist strip we were on...

"No it's ok, I just didn't hear your _footsteps_" I said staring at him levelly... I wanted to let him know I knew what he was... or what I thought he was...

I shivered at the slightly cool sea air that was blowing off the harbour... I wrapped my arms around myself...

"You're cold" he said softly as he took off a suit jacket, he hadn't been wearing before and draped it over my shoulders, it was massive...

He laughed lightly at my comical appearance, the arms nearly trailed to the ground... "You're so very petite and... precious..." he said tilting his head to the side... I was captivated by his beauty... he was so very tall and held himself well...his face was square and chiselled, like an athlete's, his dark blonde hair was tousled slightly by the breeze, his teeth were white and flashed brightly when he laughed... His gaze was fixed on my face... I was speechless... his jacket was cold, but smelt of leather and wet sand... it was a tantalizingly masculine scent...

"Do you see something you like?" he said in a teasing voice and raised an eyebrow at me... I blushed furiously and shook my head...

'Shouldn't you be in bed with Micha by now?" I said hand on hip... He laughed loudly as he took in my stance...

"I'd much rather be in bed with you...' he said seductively... I sighed in disgust, sick of his teasing and flung his jacket off as I turned on my heel and stalked off down the street... I was trying hard to shake images of him and I entwined in silk sheets... he was very handsome... but I knew that there wasn't something quite right about him...

He caught up quickly to me... "Lucy... I'm sorry, forgive me, I was out of line..." he said grabbing my hand... his grip was strong and he spun me around... his expression was amused...

"Look, Ambrose, your very attractive, and seem like a nice guy, but you hardly know me... and you're with my best friend... I'm not... we're not... as old as you might think..." I said trying to shrug his grip off...

"How old are you then?" he said raising his eyebrow...

"A lot younger than you..." I said trying to shake him off again. He somehow found our age difference amusing and he laughed loudly...

'let me at least walk you home..." he said teasingly... his face was close to mine, and his unnatural blue eyes bugged me...

"Well alright... but it's honestly not that far...' I said nodding across the street where the start of the hill was...

He kept his grip on my hand and then hooked my frail arm into his muscular one, I could feel his bicep bulging from his shirt and a shiver of pleasure ran through my centre...

"So you think I hardly know you?" he said amused as we continued to walk along the street...

"I bet I know more than you think..." he said mischievously... we had started walking up the hill and he took his strides evenly and easily... I was struggling slightly with my heels and quickly kicked them off... he bent far too quickly and scooped them up in his hands... his face smiling at the ridiculous platform and thin heel...

I looked up at him and was struck with his dazzling beauty once again... I shook my head and he took this as me disagreeing with his statement...

"Your accent is not true Ligurian... (Dialect of French spoken in Monaco), it is tainted with American English, but only a true linguist would be able to tell this... you don't really fit in anywhere... you like to think you do... but you don't... I bet you would rather trade in these... (He lifted my heels) for a pair of trainers or flats, you don't really like your friend Micha do you? But you feel accepted with her friendship and follow the crowds...there's something missing in you isn't there?" he said seriously his perfect brow creased... I had stopped at the front of my apartment block and felt like I had been stripped naked... he had just figured me out in under five minutes... he had told me more than what my therapist had told me in over a year's worth of counselling and enough invoices that would have bought Dr Patrice, my therapist, a nice convertible...

"I... I don't know what you're talking about..." I said looking away from him with tears welling up in my eyes... I turned my back on him and walked over to the entrance way, flagged with tall palm trees and fumbled in my purse for my key card that would let me in to the lobby...

"Lucy...' he said coming up behind me, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed my back into his chest...

I gasped at his sudden closeness... "I know we've only just met... but there's something about you that makes me want to stay with you... I... I don't want to scare you...but I feel like I've known you for a life time..." he leant in and smelt my hair, he groaned with pleasure and I could feel myself getting turned on...

Don't be stupid! I said to myself, you hardly know him, there is something definitely not right about this man... what would mother think? She would be pissed... I smiled smugly to myself and spun around in his arms, I reached up onto my tip toes and wrapped my arms around his neck and crushed his lips to mine... he stiffened with surprise and then relaxed into the embrace...

"Oh Lucy' he groaned over and over... I kissed at him hungrily feeling the contours of his shoulders and arms... I didn't care what mother would think...

**Earlier that night...**

**Bella's Point of View: Monte Carlo Casino, annual art exhibition**

I pulled my phone out of my small sequined clutch purse and glanced at the screen... Lucy hadn't replied to my string of text messages, I sighed in frustration and stuffed it back into my clutch... that girl never keeps her phone on her! How am I supposed to get into contact with her? I hope she wasn't lying to me again... she had said she would be at Micha's Fontelleni's house for most of the night, but that she would come home later... I didn't like her friends; they were spoilt and juvenile... Lucy was so easily persuaded... I fidgeted with my French manicured nails and tried to compose my features...

"Bella, darling, calm down, I can feel the anxiety rolling off you in waves!' hissed my friend Christina, as she nodded and smiled at some important socialite across the room. We were at the Monte Carlo Casino, attending the annual art exhibition that attracted royalty and the rich and famous from all over the globe, I felt uncomfortable being in the presence of so many humans... but I promised Christina we would come. As we walked our way around the room, admiring the several paintings and famous art work pieces, I started to notice that more and more of our kind were appearing in the crowds... "Christina... why are there so many of _us_ here tonight?" I hissed at her so quietly she had trouble hearing...

Christina had become a somewhat close friend, she was a vegetarian like me, but only because she was a high class succubus... she preyed on rich and important men and slept with them for their money and attention... she had controlled her thirst for human blood and over rode that desire for sexual desire... I had no other friends, I couldn't mingle with humans for fear of lusting after their blood and I couldn't mix with vampires because of Lucy... Christina had met Lucy several times and was captivated by Lucy's rebellious streak... she found her fascinating...

We stopped in a small corner of the room, and Christina kept smiling as people passed by, she was the ultimate socialite... she spoke to me quietly as an elderly human couple passed by...

"Darling you're so naive!' she gushed at me... "Haven't you heard the Volturi are coming to the exhibition?" she said excitedly... her topaz eyes sparkled with greed and desire... her long brown hair swirled around her face and her low cut gold gown matched her eyes perfectly...

'The Volturi? The mythical vampire rulers?' I said raising my eyebrows at her as I sipped on my champagne... The Volturi were vampire royalty... but I had only heard whisperings and rumours of their existence, it wasn't something that anyone generally spoke of...

"Bella! They are most certainly not mythical!" said Christina, indignation tainting her high pitched voice...

"I have _personally_ met them, including Prince Aro himself..." she said smugly, her eyes darting around the room again...

"I take it this Prince Aro is important?" I said smiling at her...

She rolled her eyes at me. "Darling, let me fill you in... I know that you don't like to be involved in the vampire world, but if the Volturi are really coming here tonight, then there are rules you should know..." she said seriously...

'Rules?" I asked concerned...

"The Volturi have the authority and power to kill any vampire on sight, there are certain protocols they follow, and they will only kill if the secret is told..." she said gazing into my eyes...

"Secret?' I said confused...

"No human must know what we are... we can mingle and work with humans, as long as the secret is kept..." she said softly...

My thoughts automatically focused on Lucy...

"Does Lucy...?" trailed Christina...

"NO!" I said almost too loudly... "She knows nothing; I've never told her... anything!' I said truthfully...

"Good... the Volturi have gifts... very powerful gifts... Prince Aro can read all your thoughts with one touch, Prince Marcus and Prince Casius do not have any gifts that I'm aware of their, though they make up for it with ruthlessness... Prince Aro has a large guard, who protect him at all times, which is why his title has been undefeated... his guard have the ability to produce crippling pain in you, and make you feel the utmost despair and hopelessness, and can drive your mind into insanity..." said Christina fiercely...

'Good god" I said in disbelief... "You can't be serious?" I said to her... had I been living in complete ignorance? I checked my phone again and sent Lucy another message...

'**Why won't you answer my messages? Are you safe and sound at Micha's house? Please write back to me sweet pea... mom..."**

"Stop looking at your phone, I'm sure she's fine!' said Christina...

"What's the matter with you?' I said to her, as I glanced at the painting next to us, trying to blend in with the crowd...

"I'm just so nervous, I hope they are coming! Last time Prince Aro gave me a beautiful diamond necklace...' she said distractedly...

A couple of minutes later and after checking my phone, Christina's head shot up from where she was looking at a sculpture and her eyes fixed on the entrance way of the lavishly decorated room... A group of six vampires in black suits strode through the door in well rehearsed human movements, their expressions were stern and guarded... they slowly flanked out and three statuesque vampires slowly strolled through and stood in between the six vampires in suits...

"Oh my goodness Bella, it's them!" squealed Christina excitedly... The other vampires in the room slowly turned their attention to the new arrivals. The humans were oblivious to the static atmosphere in the room... Who must have been the three princes, were dressed in expensive double breasted suits, jewelled cuff links and diamond pins that held their cravats in place, adorned their clothes... The vampire with the most authority, presumably Prince Aro was standing in the centre, he looked to be in his 50's in human years and was handsome, but to the vampiric eye he could easily be thousands of years old... his dark hair was swept back into a low pony tail, and he held a magnificent diamond topped walking stick, the kind you saw in old movies, that the powerful and rich would carry... by no means did he look frail or sick, he looked like a panther... his eyes would normally be red, but possibly covered with brown contacts, flickered around the room, asserting his power over the vampires present... The other two princes looked bored and stood silently by themselves, where as Prince Aro was laughing and smiling, some of the vampires had silently come up to him and introduced themselves, bowing and curtseying discreetly... The guard kept a good distance between the other vampires and the princes, until Prince Aro waved them off with his hand when he wanted to talk to someone in greater detail... A cold prickle crept over my skin and I didn't want to look at them anymore...

Christina linked her arm through mine and we made our way around the room slowly, her eyes continually flickering over to the Volturi... "Christina... I don't want to get too close to them..." I said cautiously... My thoughts ran back to Lucy, to her safety, this was why I had come to Monaco, in the first place, constant sunshine and warmth, no vampire in their right mind would want to live here... I wanted Lucy as far from the vampire population as possible...

"Ssshhh don't be silly, there's nothing wrong with a friendly hello...' she said distractedly as she angled our way towards the royalty... There were other vampires milling around, hoping for a conversation with the Princes... I looked down at my deep blue, simple gown with my sapphire necklace and tried to avoid the gaze of everyone... Christina marched on forward, her chest pushed out and her mouth breaking into a dazzling smile... as she nodded and smiled at the guests...

I peeked up and saw us approaching the princes... Aro glanced up from where he was talking to a well dressed male vampire with a fine moustache... the vampire seemed annoyed at the interruption from Christina...

"Your highness..." purred Christina as he curtseyed low... I followed suit...

"Christina Grigori!" cooed Prince Aro as he clasped hands with her... she gasped slightly and her face went blank for a split second... Aro closed his eyes and then they fluttered open again...

"Why you have been busy..." he smiled appreciatively at her... Christina's smile faltered slightly...

"And who is this charming creature?" said Prince Aro as leaned close towards me, I could see the red orbs beneath his brown contacts...

"Another vegetarian?" he said amused as he looked into my topaz eyes... he lifted my chin with his finger...

"No, No no, no!' I thought... he smiled at my discomfort... his eyes closed... and then... nothing...

He looked up bewildered... Christina looked on with concern... the guards narrowed their eyes at me and stepped in closer... I felt threatened and a tiny hiss like a cat's escaped through my teeth...

Big Mistake...

The guards immediately snatched my arms and pinned them behind my back pulling me away from Prince Aro...

My breathing intensified and a low growl came up from my chest...

Prince Aro looked at me in amazement; his gaze swept me from head to foot... And then he laughed out loudly... The guard looked up expectantly and Prince Aro waved his hand at them, they released me... Aro hooked his arm through mine and patted my hand...

"My dear friends... as if this glorious, tiny creature could do me any harm... my apologies Madame, but you took me quite by surprise and my friends here misunderstood my gesture..." he said to me, his voice tainted with a perfectly smooth accent, I couldn't pick where he might be from, he had probably lived for so long, that he knew every language that had ever existed...

I nodded meekly at him and looked at Christina for support, but Prince Aro had completely ignored her and we were making our way around the room, his guard following closely behind...

"My dear... do you know who I am?" he asked me amused... his gaze was uncomfortable and I was trying my best to appear flattered...

"Yes, your highness... I am aware of whom you are..." I said sweetly...

"Good... good..." he muttered to himself...

"You see, I have been given the extraordinary gift of being able to read a person's thoughts, every thought they have ever had...' he said smugly, smiling down at me...

We stopped in the middle of the room, his guard flanked around us... "But you... my darling creature... I cannot read a single thought..." he said laughing aloud... I stared at him in amazement, my knees wanted to give way... there was only one other person who could not read me... I blocked the painful memories of him... and lowered my lashes...

"I hope I have not disappointed you, your highness..." I said softly, trying to be submissive, it was obvious that he loved being in control...

I heard him groan softly and he lifted my chin once more... "My dear you could never disappoint me" he said seductively...

I fidgeted with my nails and continued to look down...

"I'm having a little soiree` at the Chateaux Vudille, you must come and visit us tomorrow night Miss..." he said falteringly as he realised he didn't know my name...

"Swan, Bella... Swan' I said smiling up at him...

'What a beautiful name" he murmured... he signalled for his guards to follow him, as he bent over my hand and kissed it... and then he turned his back and strode off, his diamond topped walking stick glinting under the lights...

I breathed out a long sigh of relief and then realised that most of the vampires were staring at me... Christina strode over slowly, and brushed her hair off her forehead...

"Are you ok?" she asked concerned...

"I'm fine; he can't read my thoughts..." I said slowly, I started thinking of _him_ and felt my chest tighten...

'I think I should go home..." I said softly...

'But we haven't been here that long...what else did he say to you?' breathed Christina heavily...

"He's invited me to some party tomorrow night; I don't think I'll go..." I said as I turned to leave. Christina's arm shot out...

"Bella you can't _not_ go... if the Volturi have summoned you, you must go...' she said earnestly...

"Alright I'll go, but I need to get home to Lucy" I said frustrated...

We said our goodbyes and I watched Christina saunter off to mingle with the high society...

The entire way home I drove like a maniac, my silver porches protested as I skid around the corners... I wanted to see Lucy, make sure she was ok... I drove along the coast line at a dangerous speed, my vampiric instincts in total control of the car...

I let my thoughts wander to my poor baby girl... She was 17... And we looked almost identical... she knew that there was something different about me... I hadn't aged since she was two, I had never met any of her friends or teachers, every year once school had finished I would pack us up and move to a new city in Europe, the poor kid had never played at a park or beach with me, had always had a nanny take her on outings during the day... I could never be the mother she deserved... that every child deserved... No wonder she hated me... she wasn't stupid, she was incredibly bright, and intelligent... she knew that something was up, but I had never uttered a word about it...

A few minutes later I was parked in our building's underground garage and made my way up to our apartment, I had made my fortune in writing novels and often wrote poetry when the depression hit... I wrote under an alias name, and nobody but Lucy and my literary agent knew who I actually was... _His_ money had gone into a trust account for Lucy; the kid had no idea that she would inherit this large sum of money when she turned 21...

Our apartment was on the 15th floor and over looked the Monte Carlo harbour... it was beautiful... I tried to make it as homely and family orientated for Lucy as much as possible. She always had a home cooked meal for every meal of the day, her washing was done, and I cleaned her room while she was at school... I had spoiled her to no end; it was all I could do to make up for the fact that she didn't have a normal mother... She got whatever she wanted... if she wanted the latest flat screen, she got it, new clothes – I would take her shopping at the boutiques, she had her hair done every month, salon and spa appointments every week, there was nothing she couldn't have... I wondered if I had learned my generous habits from _him_... before all of... This... this life... I would never have dreamed of giving Lucy all of these things... I had pictured us living in Forks, with Charlie, and her attending the University of Seattle and coming home on the weekends, while I looked after Charlie and kept him company...I had planned our life to be simple... Not this sensitive complicated web of do's and don'ts...

I sighed and unpinned my hair from its heavy up do, letting the long red brown waves cascade over my shoulders... I passed a mirror on the wall, and glanced away, I hated looking at myself...

I walked softly down the plush cream carpeted hallway and stopped outside her door; I opened it slowly... and peeked in... She wasn't home... A wave of panic gripped me and I padded back down the hall for my phone... it was 12:06am... where was she!

I tried to call her, but I heard her familiar ring tone go off in her bedroom, and I scowled in displeasure... why was she so difficult? I paced the living room impatiently looking out at the moon glinting off the harbour water...

Around 2am I heard the elevator down the hall open and soft footsteps approaching our door... it took her a couple of go's to unlock the door and eventually she stumbled in... I was sitting on the living room sofa, in the dark...

I inhaled deeply and smelt alcohol and cigarettes... and...vampire? I shot out of my seat and stalked up to her... she didn't even gasp at my sudden movements, she was so used to it... I grabbed her forearm and pulled her close to me, inhaling deeply...

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" I screeched at her... who had she been with? I didn't recognise the scent... oh please lord, don't let my baby girl get involved with a vampire... My anxiety made me tremble as I narrowed my eyes at her...

She tried to shake me off but my grip was too strong... "ANSWER ME!" I bellowed at her, trying to keep my hiss down the back of my throat, my venom started to pool in my mouth from my angry outburst...

"I was out with Micha and Yasmine... like I _told _ you..." she said rudely as she shook my arm off, my grip let go... she stumbled down the hall to her room...

I followed closely behind...

"You're drunk and you've been smoking! And... And... You've been with someone...' I said to her as she pulled her skimpy dress off and fell onto her bed...

"Mom give it a rest already... you don't care what I do... how you know I've been with someone?" she challenged me...

I breathed heavily... "I can just tell..." I said meekly...

She sat up in her bed and stared at me with those warm brown eyes that used to be mine, but was now smudged with mascara and eye liner...

"With your super human sense of smell?' she said coldly...

'Don't be ridiculous, I can smell male cologne all over you!" I challenged back... She flicked her red brown hair off her shoulders and narrowed her eyes at me...

"He's just like you..." she said slowly... I stiffened and backed up in the door way... I didn't want to do this now...

' His skin is just as cold, just as smooth and pale as yours...his movements are fluid and quick, he's silent when he walks...' she mocked me... I tried to hold back a sob, but it burst through anyway...

"Lucy..." I sobbed... "Lucy what colour is his eyes..." I asked softly... please say golden please say golden...

She looked at me confused, her smug look wiped off her face... "Blue..." she said slowly...

"Oh god Lucy, no... No! STAY AWAY FROM THIS MAN... PLEASE LUCY... YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE GETTING YOURSELF INTO..." I covered my mouth with my hand... blue eyes... could only mean one thing, he had contacts... and if the Volturi were in town... there would be a very slim chance that she met a human with those characteristics... if he was a... a... human blood drinker, why hadn't he killed her already... the thought made me sick and I crossed the room quickly to her and crushed her to my chest, holding on tightly... she was my baby, and I didn't want to let her go...

And then Lucy started to sob, I could feel her wet tears on my shoulder... "Mom... please... why won't you tell me what you are... why... I know that something is different with you... you can't keep pretending... why I don't know anything about my father... about where you were from... your life before me... mom please..." she begged, gripping my arms... she was drunk and incoherent...

"Lucy... I'm not doing this again... no more questions... please...' I sobbed pathetically into her hair, I could smell him all over her... and I was starting to build up a rage... perhaps this was the perfect time to leave... though she had finished school, soon she would be off on her own... I wouldn't be able to stop her then...

She pushed at me violently... "GET OUT!' she yelled at me, angry hot tears streaming down her face... I stepped back surprised at her sudden outburst...

"I HATE YOU!" she screamed at me... I stood there dumbfounded...

"GET OUT! YOU BITCH! I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE I CAME FROM... I DONT EVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" she said as she lobbed a high heel at me that I neatly missed...

"FREAK!" she called out after me as I quickly slammed her door closed behind me...

I stood there frozen, gulping down my sobs and distress... It was so obvious that my daughter hated me... There was nothing I could do, I couldn't tell her about our past, I couldn't tell her what I was, now she's met another vampire and I have to somehow deal with Prince Aro... I flung myself onto my bed and sobbed into the pillow, empty, hollow racking sounds that produced no tears... I reached under my bed mid sob, and pulled out a small silver box, I opened the lid and pulled out the only two photos I had kept from America... one was my dad Charlie, the other was of Lucy as a baby with me and... and... Edward...

"I'm so sorry" I sobbed to my photos as I clutched them tightly to my chest...

**Lucy's Point of View:**

The following day I had woken up in the early afternoon... my head was pounding, my mouth felt dry and then memories of last night flooded me of being held close and being kissed like I've never been kissed before... I groaned and stretched out in my luxurious bed... thinking of Ambrose and how sexy he was... I didn't care if he was different... perhaps I could finally get some truth about my mother, if I pursued a relationship with him... I fumbled around my messy bedside table, looking for my phone... I found it underneath a stack of papers and scrolled through my messages and missed calls, all 53 of them were from mother... and one more from Micha... I dialled her number and heard her hung over voice on the other end... We chatted about last night and I asked her how the rest of the night was with Ambrose, she lied and said she had taken him home and had great sex... and how she wasn't going to see him again, she had found someone else, she changed the topic quickly and started talking about our end of school trip to the Greek Islands... we planned on leaving in the next week, and had our tickets already booked, I wasn't entirely convinced on going...

We chatted for a little bit more and then I ended the conversation pleading my headache... Just as I hung up, my phone rang again...

'Hello...?' I said, the number was blocked...

"Good afternoon Môn Cherie..." said a husky voice... oh my god, it was Ambrose...

"Ambrose... hi..." I said surprised...

"How did you get my number?" I asked... I didn't remember giving it to him...

"I have my ways' he said mysteriously

Of course he does... I sneered to myself...

"I was wondering if you would like to accompany me this evening for a walk along the harbour...?" he said politely...

"Oh..." I said stupidly... most dates I had been on involved clubs or bars...

"Sure that sounds lovely" I said half sitting up and rubbing at my crusty eyes...

"Perfect I'll meet you at six thirty in front of the patisserie?" he said...

"See you then!" I said excitedly... I hung up and flopped back down onto my pillows... a huge grin broke out across my face... and then I jumped up excitedly and trudged into the bathroom, mother's office door was closed, she was more than likely writing her new novel... the highly anticipated new romance novel from "Germaine Cruz" (my mother's writer name) promises to deliver all the heartache and suspense that you have come to expect from such an accomplished novelist's repertoire... I said to myself mocking the publicity my mother's new book was receiving...

After I had spent a good hour in the tub, I dried myself off and stared at my reflection... I looked so much like her it was uncanny, yet we also looked so different... we had the same heart shaped face, though her bone structure was defined... her lips were bigger than mine, and her lashes were darker and longer... it was so unfair, I would never be as beautiful as my mother... she had serious curves that she hid under loose fitting clothes, I had no curves, I was a bean pole! Her skin was pale like mine, though hers was flawless, she never got a blemish, or a wrinkle it was always so god damned smooth!

I scowled at my face as I plastered it with makeup, no matter how hard I tried, I would never look like she did...

Later that afternoon, just as I was getting ready to leave, mother pushed open my door slowly...

"Lucy...' she said softly. I glanced up at her and gasped at how beautiful she looked in her oyster satin gown... I shut my mouth and continued to arrange my hair...

"Where are you going Lucy... you're not meeting that man are you?' she asked timidly...

I looked at her and scowled..." His name is _Ambrose_..." I said rudely...

"Lucy... please... he's not... he's not... safe to be around..." she said.

'And you are?" I said challenging her...

"I'm your mother!" she said indignantly...

"You're not human!" I said to her... her face was stony and unreadable like a statue...

"I'm going out tonight... and I don't know what time I'll be home... 'She said coldly...

"Like I care..." I said to myself...

I finished arranging my hair and grabbed my Louis Vuitton bowler bag and pushed past her... her arm shot out and grabbed me...

"Lucy I'm begging you... please stay safe..." she said carefully...

"Yes Mother" I said mockingly... as I made my way out into the hall...

Twenty minutes later I had made my way down to the patisserie, and parked my sleek black Jag out front and looked around for Ambrose... he wasn't here... the sun was sinking over the harbour and my heart sank with the disappearing sun... I was ten minutes late and he wasn't here...

"Lucy!' I heard behind me... I spun around on my heel and saw him coming up behind me; he was dressed in all black...

I smiled at him shyly and he enveloped me in a big hug... his cold powerful arms wrapped around my waist and he lifted me easily off my feet...

He put me down gently like he was afraid to break me... and his eyes swept over me...

"You are so beautiful" he whispered clasping my hands in his... there was very little foot traffic on the harbour, and the lamp lights flickered on as the sun finally sank behind the ocean ... I glanced up at him shyly...

'So what did you want to do tonight?' I asked grinning at him...

"I have a surprise for you' he said mysteriously, his unnaturally blue eyes staring into my own...

He took my hand and led me down into the harbour, we walked in silence... and then we arrived at the marina...

"The marina?" I said quizzically...

"Come on" he laughed at me as I tried walking along the board walk in my ridiculous platform shoes... we approached a magnificent boat docked at the last bay... it was a huge yacht that towered above every other vessel parked in the marina. The warm sea air smelt of salt and... lavender? I thought surprised as he carefully lifted me onto the boat... he led me through a huge lobby type of room and out the other side onto the front of the yacht... there were candles everywhere, and the lavender scent was coming from the hundreds of incense sticks that were lit and sending fragrant smoke swirling into the air... there was a rather comfortable queen size sofa that had no back to it, and was scattered with cushions..., the view was magnificent overlooking a large pool that edged onto the front of the yacht and looked out over the sparkling ocean...

"Do you like?' asked Ambrose softly... standing behind me and nuzzling his face into my hair... I was stunned...

"Ambrose, you hardly know me... I don't know what to say...?" I said speechless... I felt him stiffen and then he led me to the sofa and sat me down...

'Lucy... I have never met a more complex personality than you, you... you fascinate me... you are so incredibly beautiful and frail... I wish... I wish... I could explain to you how I feel... but there are no words to describe this... you have rocked me to my very core... if only you knew...the extent..." he started muttering to himself...he looked pained...

"I have to leave Monaco soon, my... work will send me back to northern Italy...and then I don't know where my next assignment will take me..." he said depressed...

I stared in bewilderment at this gorgeous, but mysterious man, trying to pour his soul out to me...

I had never been in love with anyone... sure I had mucked around with some guys at school, but never had I fallen in love, my heart ached to see him pained... could this be love?

I placed my hand on top of his not sure what to say...

"Lucy... I'm sorry that I'm being so forward, but I am afraid that I will never see you again..."

"If only you knew the extent of what I do... what I am... I'm leaving any day now, and then I might not see you again..." he said crestfallen, his hand wiped over his face and he looked at me forlornly...

"I'm sorry... I don't mean to frighten you" he said looking at me...

"You don't frighten me..." I lied to him...

He raised his eyebrow at me...

"You...you... are the same... as my mother...' I said slowly...

He looked at me confused...

"I know what you... are... at least... I think... I do...' I said to him biting on my lower lip...

"You do?' he said quizzically...

"My mother looks like you... pale skin... sharp features... moves quickly and is always poised...always beautiful...always perfect!" I spat out staring off into space...

He looked at me in astonishment... "And what exactly is your mother...?" he said looking at me sternly... his eyes were almost bulging out of his face... he took in every expression I had and looked at me expectantly...

"My mother...isn't human..." I began, his grip tightened on my hand... "She's...she's... never been sick, I've never heard her cough or sneeze, she doesn't sleep... she doesn't eat... I've never seen her in daylight... she look's only a couple of years older than me... and one day... one day when I was six, I fell over and cut my leg badly... she kept smelling and staring at my gash before she cleaned it up... it was hours before she touched me...it was... it was horrible..." I choked out... Tears started to well up in my eyes...

"Lucy... I don't believe it... you're not serious are you?' asked Ambrose, his handsome face stared at me intently... his unnatural blue eyes were boring into me...

I wiped at my tears and stared into his face... "My mother is... is... a _vampire_" I said stupidly. I felt funny using that word, it sounded fake...

"I don't understand... "He said bluntly...

"So you're not a vampire?" I asked him quizzically.

"I'm not denying that' he said flashing his white teeth at me...

"I don't understand" he said again...

I started to get distressed...

"What is there to understand!' I said frustrated as I stood up from the sofa...

"Lucy! I'm sorry; I just don't understand how she can be a vampire... And you... you a human and _living_ with her!' he said astounded...

He stood up and clutched his dark blonde hair... "Tonight was supposed to be about us...and getting close..." he said, his eyes smouldering at me...

"Don't go changing the subject..." I said sternly to him... he stepped closer to me and took my face in his hands...

"Lucy... what I am, what your mother is... is not what you want to be..." he said earnestly...

"Why not!' I said the tears pouring again... he leant into me and kissed my wet hot tears off my cheeks... "Mon Chaton" (my kitten) he whispered to me...

"I know you want to be like her... you knew what I was the moment you met me... I'm not changing you Lucy... my job... my position, does not allow me anytime to mingle with humans...but...these overwhelming feelings... I have for you, are so intense, I'm just taking it one day at the time... but I know that I can't not have you in my life...you're mine' he said fiercely...

"I don't know what you're talking about...' I laughed through my tears...

"How much do you know?" he said, a small smile escaping his lips...

'Nothing" I said sternly... "Tell me everything..." I said to him...

He laughed freely and grabbed me around the waist and sat me down on his lap, as he sat back down on the sofa... his fingers running over my back...

He spoke to me softly about what he was, what my mother was... how their kind has overwhelming emotions and how they can't control how they fall in love... he told me of their diet and how some of their kind fed on animals, while the majority fed off humans... he reassured me that he had no urge to break my skin with his teeth and drink from me, he then explained how he felt this need to protect me... how some vampires could develop an almost obsessive relationship with a human, making that human "theirs" and off limits to any other vampire... and to break that bond would surely emotionally kill the vampire leaving him or her an empty shell...

I listened in amazement and disbelief at what he was telling me... he told me that he worked for the vampire royalty, he was part of the personal guard and had limited time off so he could 'feed' on a regular basis to keep his strength up...

As he finished he looked at me from the corner of his eyes... "Have I scared you?' he asked timidly... "No..." I said slowly...

"But my mother knew I had been with a vampire last night... she could smell you on me..." I said looking up at him naughtily...

"And what did she say?' he asked curiously...

"She asked me what colour your eyes are" I said slowly gazing into his bright blue eyes...

"What colour are hers?" he asked me amused...

"Golden..." I said softly...

He smirked and shook his head...

"You don't want to see what mine really look like..." he said sternly... as he leant in and kissed me deeply... I sighed and fell into the kiss, running my hands through his hair... and moaning softly as his grip tightened around me... somewhere in the back of my brain, an alarm siren was sounding, warning me to run, telling me that his man fed off humans... I pictured his massive frame stalking a human and attacking and sucking on their neck... I pushed the deranged thoughts away and continued to make out with him; he had pushed me back onto the sofa and was on top of me, his weight supported by his strong arms... I ran my hands over his biceps and felt the hard bulge that strained under his shirt... he pressed his hips into me and I moaned out in desire... my hormones begging for more... he groaned loudly and kissed me harder... his hands tangled up in my hair as he gently lowered himself on top of me...

We continued like this for hours, until I was embarrassingly drenched in sweat and my body hurt all over... I sat up gasping for air... and brushed my hair off my face...

He laughed lightly at me, his appearance perfect and smooth... Then his face fell...

"What's wrong?' I asked him huskily...

"I should get you home... I'm due to be back on guard... my master is having a party at his Chateau on the Riviera... I have to relieve one of the other guards..." he said disappointed... his face was excited and hungry for more passion...

I nodded meekly at him, exhausted from our make out session...

He took me to my car and kissed me goodnight... I offered to drop him off to the Chateau, but he just laughed at me and said he was faster than my car... He had a hard time letting go and said he would text me later tonight...

When I arrived home, mother was still out... I felt warm and fuzzy from being with Ambrose and was utterly confused about what he had said tonight. He had confirmed my suspicions about my mother... and admitted he was vampire... I should have been petrified... I should have run screaming from him, but instead I got closer to him and it felt good... I was in love...

I strode into mother's room and looked around at the neat clean lines that featured throughout the whole apartment, everything was so immaculate, so perfectly clean and neat, everything has its place... I opened her wardrobe and touched her expensive clothes, feeling the satins and furs and the cashmere... I went to her vanity table and fingered the large black velvet box, which was empty at present, but usually held her sapphire necklace, that she wore whenever she went out... I looked at the photos she had of me over the years that adorned the walls and the bedside tables... I lingered at one of the bedside tables and opened the draw... there were neat stacks of papers and knick knacks, some jewellery and perfume, as I was looking through her expensive jewellery... I came across a small silver bracelet with several stones hanging from the chain... I gasped and dropped the bracelet on the floor as a memory came flooding back to me... I remembered this bracelet as a child... I had worn it until I was twelve... and then it had disappeared... I kneeled on the carpet and picked up the bracelet... from my perherpial vision I saw a small silver box just hidden underneath her bed... I pulled it out from its hiding place and opened the lid...

Inside was an old photo of a middle aged man... he had an impressive moustache and his brown wavy hair was thin on top, he had a kind expression and his eyes were a deep warm brown... the only other photo in the box was a family picture of mother... me ...and.. And another vampire... he was very handsome, his tousled bronze hair matched his golden eyes and he looked so very happy... I was only a baby and had fat chubby cheeks...and mother was... was... well she was me... she wasn't vampire in this photo, she looked human... she wasn't perfect... she was just... well she was just like me... I dropped the photo in disbelief and sifted through the other items in the box... I came across my birth certificate... my heart thudded as I scanned the pink document... place of birth: Forks, WA...; mother: Isabella Swan; Father: unknown...

"Unknown?" I said astounded... was mother's story of my father being a one night stand true? Hot tears started to pour down my face as I shoved everything back in its box and put my bracelet into the bedside draw again...

I was going to get answers, I had had enough of the deceit and lies from my mother... if she wouldn't tell me my past, I would track it down myself...

The following days were tense, Ambrose called me and begged to see me again, he was leaving the following day and wanted to see me before he left... mother was acting weird and I caught her staring at me more often than usual...

I met Ambrose that night at a little restaurant tucked away from the tourist strip, he didn't eat anything and instead watched me with amusement... his blue eyes were still bugging me, but I didn't ask him to show me their real colour... I was too afraid...

I told him that I was planning on going to America... instead of the Greek Islands... I told him what I found out and, the photo of the vampire and how mother was human in the picture... Ambrose looked uncomfortable...

"Lucy, go to the Greek Islands with your friends... I don't want you going to America... don't track down this vampire... you have no idea what he's like, who he is" said Ambrose in his thick accent... I looked up at him and raised my eyebrows at him... "You think kissing a blood thirsty vampire is safer than me tracking down a vampire?" I said condescendingly...

He laughed lightly at me... "That's different Môn Cherie" he said teasing me...

We spent the rest of the evening walking along the beach, the moon was bright and he had my arm tucked under his massive bicep...

"I know we haven't known each other that long... and I know that things are complicated... but Lucy I love you heart and soul and I want you to be mine" he said as he turned to face me front on...

I stood on my tip toes and wrapped my arms around his neck... I kissed him softly and felt his body press into me...

'Ambrose I love you too... but I can't make any promises... I need to find my past first...' I said to him... my heart constricted and I saw the look in his eyes that pained him...

"Lucy...' he began flustered...

"I'm sorry, but I'm only 17... And this is a lot to take in... I need to fix things with my mother, find out where I'm from... and then we can start a relationship... I won't leave you forever... just let me do this first..."

He pressed his forehead to mine... and sighed deeply...

He had a hard time letting go... and eventually he left... and I returned to my apartment, feeling somewhat depressed...

When I got home mother was sitting on the sofa, her gaze transfixed into space...

"Mom?" I said waving my hand in front of her face... she snapped out of it...

'Lucy... I've arranged for you to stay with Micha's family for a couple of days, until you leave for your holiday with your friends... 'She said softly not looking at me...

"What?" I said dumbfounded...

'You didn't want me to go on holiday?" I said confused...

"I know but I need to go away for work... and... and I don't want you left alone" she said sadly.

'Where are you going?' I asked her.

"Italy" she said looking up at me... I gulped, that was where Ambrose was going, and could she be involved with this vampire royalty... Ambrose had described them as dangerous...

"He left today, didn't him?" said mother narrowing her eyes at me... I nodded in response...

"Good' she said coldly... "Don't you even think about trying to follow him...? Lucy I will find out if you go anywhere else but the Greek Islands... don't think I won't find you..." she said sternly...

I shook my head and marched off into my room...

The following morning she was gone...

My stomach felt uneasy as I thought how strange it was she had just left... she had been in my life every single day and then all of a sudden she needs to travel for work...

I was somewhat excited over the following days as I prepared my arrangements for travelling to Washington... Micha still thought I was going to the Greek Islands and was chattering nonstop about the Greek boys and the parties... I agreed with her too enthusiastically and counted down the days until we were leaving...

The day had finally come, and before Micha's mom dropped us off at the airport I went back home and grabbed my bracelet and the contents from mother's silver box... they were all I had to go on...

I fidgeted the entire way to the airport, and then fidgeted some more as we mulled around the airport... the boarding call for the plane to the Greek Islands sounded over the PA system... Micha and Yasmine picked up their bags excitedly and headed to the queue to board the plane... I tagged behind and then at the last minute started walking in the opposite direction... my plane to the States was leaving half an hour later than one the girls were booked on...

"LUCY!" yelled Micha behind me...

"I'm sorry... but it's something I have to do..." I yelled back, not caring if she hated me forever after this moment...

"LUCY GET BACK HERE! DONT YOU DARE SKIP OUT ON ME!' she bellowed... the passengers stared at us in bewilderment and I kept walking down to gate 23... A huge smile plastered on my face... I was free at last...

**Ok so I know I know I've been slack But my boyfriend of 3 and a half years dumped me, while I was going through my final exams at university... and I had to move out of his house and blah blah blah, enough about me! I know the story probably doesn't make much sense, but Edward makes an appearance next chapter which I have already started... I wanted this chapter to show the relationship between Lucy and Bella, and get Lucy romantically involved with a vampire... which will make sense in later chapters and of course the Volturi had to make an appearance! Please let me know what you think... I know it doesn't make much sense yet... but give it time... and it will... Where do you think Bella went to?**

**xoxoxoxo**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews! I love having my inbox flooded with alerts and reviews, it makes my day **

**I'm so glad that everyone liked the first chapter... Edward makes his appearance in this second chapter! I'm so excited for you all to be reintroduced to Edward... how do you think he's coped over the last 16 years? Read on and find out! Don't forget to review xoxox**

**A**

**Chapter 2: **

**L.P.O.V - On board Emirates flight 7274 Monte Carlo to Seattle...**

"Good evening passengers, this is Captain Alhmar speaking, we'll soon be landing in Seattle, Washington. The temperature is a beautiful 25 degrees Celsius and the forecast is for a clear, rain free evening. Please put all trays in the upright position and fasten your seatbelts as we prepare to land, from all the crew onboard Emirates flight 7274, we thank you for choosing Emirates and hope you enjoy your stay in the United States of America..."

The Captain's announcement woke me from my half dazed state, and I sat up groggily, pushing the window cover up to look down at the scenery below, the tall wet ferns glistened in the weak afternoon sun and I stared in disbelief at how green everything was... My body ached and I dreaded the connecting flight to Port Angeles, I hadn't realised how long it would actually take me to get to Forks... I was going to stay the night in Port Angeles and then had to make my way down to Forks the next day... I felt uneasy at what I was doing... was I making the right choice? I had a few clothes with me, and some toiletries, as well as the contents from mother's silver box... the two photos and my birth certificate were pretty much all I had to go on... thankfully I did have an address, there was an old driver's licence from when my mother was human, nestled among the stacks of papers that were in the box, there was an address on her licence... it was all I was clinging onto... I would be at a dead end if there was no one at the address listed... I hadn't heard from mother since she left for Italy... Ambrose hadn't called me since he left, and I was beginning to wonder if perhaps he hadn't existed at all. Had my mind played a cruel trick on me? I sighed and scowled at the man sleeping next to me on the plane, his snores were deep rattling sounds and I couldn't wait until we landed...Micha and Yasmine would have landed in the Greek Islands hours ago, I felt guilty for ditching them, but somehow I didn't seem to care very much, this was much more important to me. I had one niggling thought that popped up every now and then... why had mother left so suddenly? And since when did she need to travel for work? I wonder if she was involved with these...vampires...that Ambrose worked for. I knew that she was capable of looking after herself, but something must have changed drastically for her to just leave me like that. A small part of me was hoping she would come after me, then perhaps she would have to tell me everything about our past.

The plane finally landed and it was a slow process getting off the aircraft. I hated airports and had packed very little with me, I only had my carry on back pack and was relieved I didn't have to wait around the carousel to get any luggage.

The flight down to Port Angele's was quick, just under an hour. It was the middle of June, and the air was sea fresh and warm as I left the small airport. I jumped into a taxi at the deserted taxi rank and gave the driver the address to the cheap travel lodge I had booked the night for...

Checking into the hotel was quick except that the clerk looked at me strangely and studied my passport for longer than necessary. He was portly and had thick framed glasses on.

"Aren't you a little young to be travelling alone? Does your mom know where you are miss?" he said in a disapproving tone... A wave of guilt ran through me.

" Yes she does know exactly where I am...' I lied, thinking it was none of his business...

He held up his hands defensively and gave me a small laugh... "Sorry young miss, I was just trying to be considerate...' he said as he led me down a dingy hallway... I followed after him, a scowl plastered on my face at his nosiness.

"So where you from? Your passport says you're American, but you sure don't sound like it..." he joked.

"I grew up in several countries" I said flatly. My accent was tainted with French and several other dialects, I learnt languages fast and as a result had a difficult accent to place, my English was tainted with American and that usually gave me away.

He opened the door for me and handed me the key...

"Here you go kiddo, if you need anything let me know, check out is 10am" he said curtly as he waddled off back down the hall...

I made my way inside and closed the door, locking it securely. I was exhausted but knew I would have trouble sleeping... I was so nervous about tomorrow...

I turned my phone on and wondered if my international roaming would work... it took several minutes for the small cell to adjust itself to the new network. My phone beeped several times and I had three messages... all from Ambrose.

"**Lucy... have you arrived yet?"**

"**Lucy I know you went to America... call me as soon as you get this..."**

"**Lucy if you don't call me within the next hour I'm coming after you!"**

I smiled at his messages and my heart fluttered over his concern for me...

I quickly dialled his number... it took a second for the international dial tone to connect, he answered before the first ring finished...

"Lucy?" he said breathlessly...

"Hey, sorry I didn't call you, I just got to the motel..." I said smiling as I lounged across the dingy bed...

"Lucy why didn't you go to the Greek Islands?" he said nastily.

I felt my fatigue turn into anger. "Ambrose, I _told_ you what I had to do, I need to do this... I can look after myself!' I said annoyed.

He sighed and then there was silence for a minute.

"I was so worried, I can't stop thinking about you...' he said quietly in his rough Italian accent now lingering with sugar and honey...it made my skin prickle with desire.

"Ambrose, everything is fine... I needed to come here... I told you all of this in Monaco, I need to find my past, and it was my only chance to escape from mother...she was reluctant enough with me going on holiday, she thinks I'm in the Greek Islands..." I said my voice pausing..

"Has your mother called you yet?" he asked slowly, a note of acid laced his words and I wondered what he wasn't telling me..

'No"...I said.

Silence

'Ambrose is there something you're not telling me? Mother had to leave for Italy for work... but I was so concerned about escaping to America that I didn't stop to think it through properly...could she be involved with the ..Uh..People... you work for?' I said meekly.

"You look so much like your mother..." sighed Ambrose.

"So she is there?" I said getting annoyed at his cryptic words... My heart rate started to climb slowly.

"Yes, she is here as a guest of Prince Aro...she knows nothing of who I am of course... and Prince Aro knows nothing of you... from what I can tell..." he said slowly...

"So she's ok? What exactly is she doing there?" I asked curiously

"Lucy, when Prince Aro wants something or someone, he gets it, no matter what it takes..." said Ambrose nastily... "And the same can be said for me" he chuckled darkly...

'Ambrose you're scaring me... I'm going to call her tonight and tell her where I am" I said defiantly..

"Lucy visitor's aren't allowed phones in Volterra, she probably had her phone confiscated on arrival... don't fret Mon Cherie" he said lovingly... my chest constricted at his weird behaviour.

I wasn't entirely convinced. Who the hell was this Prince Aro? And what gave him the authority to keep my mother as a house prisoner? I realised that there was still so much more to learn about these vampires...

"Don't be frightened Lucy, just promise me you'll come back to Europe quickly... I really need to see you' he said seductively.

I was scared by his weird cryptic words and the way he spoke about my mother being involved with this Prince Aro...

"I'll come home when I'm ready" I said quietly, thinking about what I wanted to uncover while I was here in the states.

He growled low into the phone, and my skin crawled with fear... "Lucy if you're not home within a fortnight I will come find you... it's not safe in America... especially if you're trying to track down a vampire...which would be imposs..." he was cut short as a rapid European language I didn't recognise barked orders in the background...

"I must go, I love you Mon Chaton...come home..." he purred as he hung up...

My hands were shaking as I put the cell down onto the rickety nightstand. I suddenly felt very alone and afraid. I crawled under the musty covers and let my thoughts run over his conversation. He had sounded so pissed off that I was in America, but I had told him all of this the last night I saw him. He had been so kind and sweet, and now he seemed a teeny bit psycho. Even though I knew that mother was different, I had always felt so safe around her... I wondered if now knowing what she was, made me think that all of her kind was the same way. Ambrose had definitely seemed so at first, but now I was scared stiff of him. If I found this other vampire from mother's past would he be the same? Would I be walking into a death trap? I tried calling mother's cell but it went straight to voicemail. I hardly slept at all that night.

The bus was dirty and old as it rattled down the wet highway... the middle of summer and it was pouring with rain... I scowled out the window at the wet ferns and trees as the bus strained to keep up to the main speed limit.

I shifted in the uncomfortable seat and willed the old vehicle to go faster... I fidgeted with my hair and tried to keep my mind busy. I had put on a pale blue summer dress and silver ballet flats. I had no jewellery on except my silver bracelet with the little stones hanging off the chain... I remember wearing it as a kid, and then one day it had disappeared, mother told me I must have lost it..

Finally the thick wet forests started to thin and signs of a small town started to appear... low houses were spaced well apart and the streets were deserted. The bus pulled into a small station, which must have been the centre of town. There was a main street, with one set of traffic lights. A gray mist hung over the town, and I shivered slightly as I got off the bus, backpack on shoulder... I looked up and down the street as the bus rattled off in a puff of brown smoke... I made my way into the small dingy station and walked over to the ticket counter...

The lady behind the counter was plump and red headed with far too much purple lipstick, she was in her mid forties and looked utterly bored..

"Where to?" she said without looking at me...she was engrossed in a magazine.

"Uh... I was wondering if you could tell me where I might find Cascada Drive." I asked shyly.

The woman looked down at me over her purple rimmed glasses...

"Excuse me?" she said rudely, looking me up and down...

"Cascada Drive?' I said again, loudly this time...

"Honey I ain't ever heard of it' she said turning back to her magazine...

"Well is there an information centre or taxi rank somewhere?" I asked annoyed... my hopes were fading quickly... I had come all this way...

The woman sighed and picked up her phone, she dialled a number and spoke quickly to somebody called 'Fred'.

'Fred's on his way, he's the taxi driver for this part of the woods" she said without looking at me... I thanked her and waited outside the station... it was starting to get cold... so much for being summer, I hugged my shoulders and tried to fight off the chill... I had a sweater in the bottom of my bag but couldn't be bothered to pull it out... I lit a cigarette to try and keep warm. I tilted my head back and let the smoke swirl around in the chilled air. Two old men who sat outside a souvenir shop across the street, shook their heads at me and started muttering to each other. I stared right back at them and smiled smugly.

A small car came trundling down the wet street, just as it started raining again... a faded sticker labelled "Taxi" was stuck on the side of the sedan...

I jumped in and closed the door quickly. "Well hey there kid, where can I take ya to?" the driver said happily. He was an older man, with greying hair and crinkled blue eyes...

"Cascada drive?" I asked uncertainly, hoping he had heard of it...

"Cascada drive? Kid there ain't anything down there, but woods and a couple of empty houses... you sure you want to go there?" he asked concerned...

'Yes please... number 4 Cascada drive...' I asked him. He looked startled when I mentioned the house number and shook his head as he drove off.

Twenty minutes later after driving down the freeway, he took a sharp turn left onto a dirt road... the woods were thick and the weak sun didn't seem to quite reach the road...

"So where you from?' asked the driver... I sighed to myself, hoping I wouldn't become the talk of the town...

"Monaco" I said staring out the window... my heart beat picking up...

The driver whistled low... '"That's a long way...' he said to me...

"You here to visit family or just on holiday...?" he continued.

"Visiting family" I answered him. As if anybody would come _here_ to holiday I thought to myself looking at the miserable wet surroundings.

The rain was pelting down hard and the driver finally slowed down... he pulled up on the side of the road...

"Kid this is as far as I can take you, number four is just across the way there... the grass is so overgrown... there's no way Betsy here could make it into the driveway' he said patting the dash..."you want me to wait for you?' he asked politely...

"No, that's ok" I smiled at him... handing him a handful of notes... "Keep the change" I said to him.

'Why thank you miss!" he said happily... Just as I was getting out of the car he spoke to me...

"Kid... you sure you're going to be alright? As far as I know there ain't nobody lived here for a good 15 years or more, take my card in case you need a lift back" he said worried as he handed me a small business card.

"I'll be fine... thanks Fred..." I said as I took his card and shut the car door... The rain was coming down hard... and I got soaked within seconds... Fred drove off and I crossed the dirt road to the overgrown drive...

The trees were thick... and my heart sank as I realised this must be a dead end... I ran down the dirt drive, my dainty silver slippers getting soaked and mud stained... long wet grass stuck to my bare legs as I made my way down the long drive... I hoped no wild animal would come barrelling out of the foliage and attack me... I willed myself to go faster, my backpack held up over my head to try and stop the rain from getting on me... it was a pathetic attempt.

A large run down house came into view and I ran up onto the front porch... the house would have been beautiful in better years, and I wondered if this was my home when I was a baby. I squeezed out my wet long hair and tried to smooth down my dress. My hands were shaking as I fixed myself up... it didn't look like anyone lived here... why was I so tense...?

I knocked on the door...and waited... nothing... My heart started to sink and I felt frustrated and stupid for taking such a long shot.

I tried to peek into the window, but it was dusty and dark, I couldn't see...

I tried the door... it was unlocked...

It creaked open slowly and I timidly made my way inside... It was dark and damp and smelt old and musty... The hallway was short and the carpet puffed up with dust as I walked softly over it... I came into a large living area and gasped at the surroundings... the ceiling stretched on forever and the windows were massive, dark curtains draped over them, and a fireplace was roaring warmly against the wall... I froze... the fire was going... someone must live here... but who would live in this filth? I set my bag down and walked into the centre of the room...

"Hello?' I said barely above a whisper... I was so nervous... A kid's happy scream sounded behind me and I jumped and screamed in terror, looking behind me for the noise... A large flat screen TV that was on the wall of the room was playing a home video. My heart stopped as I inched forward and gazed at the people on the screen... my mother who looked so happy and content was holding a small girl with brown hair and big brown eyes. The girl would have only been two, she was screaming and laughing in delight, her chubby hands clapping together excitedly. My mother was laughing and it sounded so real, so natural, she _looked_ _natural_, she looked like me...

"You're so beautiful' said a third voice on the home movie, his voice was rough and husky, but he was filming and wasn't visible in the movie. I shook my head to clear it and noticed a small table underneath the TV .

On the low table were several framed photos of my mother... This has to be it...I was in the right place...The TV paused suddenly. I looked around me and screamed loudly falling over backwards as I saw someone standing close behind me...

"Oh my god!" I screamed terrified... clutching my chest where my heart was...

The man who was now in front of me... looked haunted... he was tall and broad in the shoulders...his skin was deathly pale and tainted gray, his face was sunken, his eyes a dark coal, his clothes were a mess... and he reeked of cigar smoke and strong alcohol...

He looked at me with open amazement...

"Bella?" he whispered softly his hand outstretched towards me...

'No... I'm not Bella...My name's ..."

"...Lucy' he said softly, his gaze fixed on my bracelet...

He fell to his knees and exhaled loudly... he looked like he was going into shock his body trembled.

"Yes... I'm Lucy" I said from where I was still on the floor...

"Oh my god... Lucy!" he wailed as he shot over to me in a blur his face close to mine, his hands grasping my face... I froze with fear at his cold touch... he must be the vampire in the photos my mother had... he was so sickly looking and ... he looked weak...nothing like the strong handsome vampire in the photos.

"Oh I'm so sorry... " He said ashamed dropping his hands as he stood up and backed away from me...

' I didn't mean to frighten you..." he said sadly... his gaze was fixed on me and his chest was heaving...

"Is she... is she here?" he asked forlornly. My frown creased as I realised this man had thought I was my mother...

"No... she doesn't know I'm here' I whispered, my gaze was locked on him. His face fell...

"Oh' was all he said...

Silence...

I stood up slowly and walked over to where he was standing motionless... observing me...

"Are you... are you my father?" I asked him boldly. I had to know. My heart was racing and I felt sick to the stomach... the room stank and was making me nauseated.

He looked down at me and smiled. His expression was so pained and broken...

"Not your biological father" he said softly. His hand gingerly reached out and touched my cheek. I shivered again from his cold touch, I was still saturated and wet from the rain.

"You've grown so much... you look so much like her..." he whispered...

"Who are you then?" I said, half deflated that he wasn't my father...

"I... I... knew your mother a long time ago...I was like a father to you... but... she... she left...and took you with her..." he said, his eyes burning in to me...

"I have so many questions!" I said to him, half excited... I was still in a state of shock, but was finally getting some answers...

"I'm sure you do' he said softly as he walked slowly to the coffee table and picked up the remote. He switched the TV off, and then sat down on the sofa heavily. A cloud of dust puffed out around him as he sat down. He gripped his unkempt, dirty hair and let his face fall down, he groaned in anguish and I suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"Why are you here?" he said coldly without looking at me.

My uncomfortable feeling turned into anger, and my jet lag had messed with my head, without thinking I let him have it.

"WHY AM I HERE?" I asked in disbelief. I threw my wet hands up in the air frustrated. He peeked up at me from his stance on the sofa and stared at me. His eyes were jet black and his skin was sunken around his orbital bones.

"I'VE SPENT MY ENTIRE LIFE, THINKING I WAS THE FREAK, THINKING THAT I DIDN'T FIT IN ANYWHERE, BEING SHIPPED ACROSS THE CONTINENT ONCE A YEAR SO THAT NOBODY COTTONED ON THAT _SHE_ WAS DIFFERENT TO THE OTHER MOTHER'S... I FINALLY, _FINALLY_ ESCAPE AND COME ALL THIS WAY FOR YOU TO _RUDELY_ ASK ME, 'WHY AM I HERE', ISN'T IT OBVIOUS WHY _I'M HERE_?" I said hands on hips.

A ghost of a smile crossed his features and then disappeared again. He sighed and sat back slowly into the sofa as if it was a hard task for him to do.

"I'm so sorry, that just kind of came out" I said sheepishly, realising I was alone, in Hicksville with a vampire I didn't know.

"You must be tired...and wet" he said arrogantly as he looked at me more closely.

He stood up a little quicker than before and came to stand in front of me.

"Lucy, I am glad that you're here, I know you must have some questions, but your mother, will be beyond angry if she finds out where you are, I'm the last person, she would want you talking to..." he said slowly.

"I don't care what she thinks" I said rudely. My jet lag was kicking in and I shivered from the cold damp air that filled the house, my wet skin making it uncomfortable.

"I can't offer you a shower I'm sorry, the water has been turned off for years...and most of the light bulbs have blown, but I can offer you some dry towels and some...clothes." he said falteringly...

'That would be nice thanks' I said to him. He indicated for me to follow him, and I had to use the light from my phone screen to follow him up the spiral staircase. The house reeked beyond death, and I tried my best not to choke on the smell. His movements were slow and pained as he led me up the stairs.

"Are you...ok?' I asked him curiously.

He sniggered to himself. "I'm very weak" was all he said. He led me down a long hallway and then opened a set of double doors at the end of the hall. He breathed in quickly before entering the room. It was pitch black and I paused at the doorway before following him. A streak of gray sunlight broke the darkness as he drew back the curtains... The bedroom was massive, there was a large King size bed with a golden duvet and golden cushions, a gorgeous sitting sofa in the corner of the room, another set of double doors that must have led to a walk in closet, and another single door that was presumably an ensuite... but the strangest thing was that there was a stripper pole attached from the floor to ceiling a few feet in front of the sitting sofa... I didn't want to ask...

He stood in the middle of the room hands in his worn trousers pockets, he looked like he had crawled out of the dust bin.

"There are some towels in the ensuite and some dry clothes in the closet... I'm sure you'll find they fit, though they may be a bit dusty." He said.

"Thank you" I replied.

"Once you're done cleaning up, we can talk, but don't expect a happy story, I have nothing but sorrow left in me..' he replied as he walked out the door.

I felt very uncomfortable as I dried myself off. Had I done the right thing about coming here? What would he tell me? Would I really want to know? And should I mention mother and where she was?

I opened the closet and had to use the light from my phone to see where the clothes were. The closet was massive and had racks upon racks of clothes... I wanted to find something warm and comfy, it felt odd knowing that these would have been worn by mother once upon a time. I found a hideous out of fashion baby pink velour track suit and quickly pulled it on, it smelt old, but at least it was better than a wet summery dress. The track suit was only slightly too big in the bust and hip area, but still fit rather well.

I took one last look at the stripper pole in the bedroom before making my way down stairs.

He had opened the curtains in the room we were in before. The gray sunlight cast odd shadows in the corners of the room. The fireplace was still crackling warmly and I found him sitting on the sofa, cigar smoke billowing around his thin face and a glass of amber liquid in his hand, he was lost in thought.

He looked up at me and smiled slightly at me. "Your mother always loved you in pink" he said softly.

"I'm sorry I don't even know your name?" I said ignoring his comment.

His brow furrowed.

"Edward Cullen" he said.

'She's never mentioned me at all?' he asked hurt.

I shook my head and sat down on the sofa opposite him.

"I don't blame her, she never wanted this life" he said shaking his head as he removed the cigar from in between his teeth and sculled his drink.

I leant over the side of the sofa where I had placed my bag and pulled out my packet of cigarettes...

"Do you mind?' I asked him casually, thinking it wouldn't be a problem to add more smoke to the already smoke stained surroundings.

His mouth hung open...

"Are you joking?" he asked seriously.

"Uh" I said not sure if he meant he couldn't give a shit about the cigarette smoke or something else?

'How old are you? 17? 18? You've got to be kidding, Bella wouldn't have raised you as a smoker!" he said furiously.

My brow creased and I stared at him levelly. "I make my own choices' I said smartly as I lit up my cigarette and tilted my head back to blow the smoke out.

He muttered something unintelligible and got up to refill his glass.

"You want a drink too?" he asked condescendingly.

'Sure if you're offering' I said trying to act casual.

He shook his head. "I wasn't serious Lucy" he muttered to himself.

He sat back down and looked at me concerned...

"Tell me about your life Lucy, I never would have imagined you to be so... so... full of hate and anger' he said sadly.

I blew out more cigarette smoke.

'I didn't travel all this way to tell you about me... you go first, tell me _everything_' I said exasperated sitting on the edge of the sofa.

"What _ exactly_ do you want to know?" he asked me cryptically. His eyes were so very black, they looked almost alienish.

I puffed on my cigarette and ran my hand through my long red brown hair.

"Do you know who my father is? Did mother grow up here? How did she become the way she is?" I said in a big rush, I was desperate to know anything and everything about my past, about my mother's past...

He looked at me with a hard stare.

"Lucy, if your mother hasn't told you anything... I'm sure it's for a good reason..." Edward started...

"Cut the bullshit! Just tell me what you know!" I said frustrated... sitting up straighter, I was breathing hard, this mystery shrouding my past was proving difficult to unfold.

He muttered something like 'Jesus Christ' and sculled down his drink before launching into his story.

"Lucy, your mother raised you by herself. When I met her, she was about to turn 21, and you had just turned two. Your father went by the name of Mike Newton, I believe Bella and Mike were high school sweethearts..." he said, his words dripping in acid...

"Mike Newton was the son of Senator John Newton, when his family found out Bella was pregnant, they pretended she didn't exist, she had applied for college in Seattle with Mike, but she had to withdraw her admission when she fell with pregnant, so Mike dumped Bella, went to college and found somebody else. Senator Newton had authority and power in all the right places, and made sure Bella didn't come asking for support and money..."

"She worked a 7 day week, with most of her time at the local bank as a teller, and the weekends, at a ...err... club in Port Angeles, her father, your grandfather, Charlie supported her by looking after you on the weekends, she worked extremely hard to support the both of you and was very independent" his expression was lost in thought.

"When I met her, I thought she was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen... she was captivating, and easily the most attractive woman for miles around... it's in my nature, being what I am, to become possessive and almost territorial, the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew that she had to be mine... I didn't realise at the time, that she had a daughter, she was very protective of you. As we became ...closer..." he paused.

"...I was introduced to you, and you blew me away with your charm, and your happy nature, you were such a happy kid... and then everything fell apart and she left with you... I haven't heard from her since" he looked as if he was on the verge of tears.

"What about my father? What happened to him?" I asked eagerly.

Edward scowled and his grip tightened on his glass.

"I don't think it's my place to tell" he said grimly.

"Please Edward I have to know!" I begged him.

"Lucy, your father, was somewhat troubled. He used alcohol and drugs heavily, he started wanting to see Bella again and got insanely jealous when he saw that she had finally moved on. He did some horrible things, and got killed in the process..." said Edward, his gaze fixed on the roaring fire, in the fireplace.

'Oh" so he was dead I thought to myself deflated.

"How did mother become like you?" I asked him curiously.

"I had to change her, so that she could live and raise you, she was on the verge of death and your grandfather had died from a heart attack, and there was no one left to look after you, I wish I hadn't changed her she resents what I did to her, which is why she left me..." his voice broke. "But I couldn't let her die Lucy, I couldn't... I love her too much..." he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

My chest constricted as I took in his heart broken form.

"How did mother nearly die?' I asked softly, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"I told you... your father did some horrible things' he said gravely, staring straight at me.

I gasped and covered my hand with my mouth. I looked at the floor, my eyes starting to sting and well up. My own father tried to kill my mother? I felt sick, and tried to think of something else...

I reached into my back pack and pulled out the two photos from mother's silver box.

'Is this you in the photo?" I asked regaining my composure. Edward took the photo from me and stared at it for a good minute. He exhaled softly and nodded his head...

'What's left of me anyway" he muttered.

"And this?' I asked holding out the photo of the older man with the brown hair and eyes.

"Your grandfather' said Edward smiling slightly. I took the photo back and stared at the man in the picture, I could definitely see similarities between myself, mother and my grandfather.

A heavy weight seemed to lift off my shoulders, I had finally uncovered some of my past, but why had mother been so secretive about it all?

I caught Edward staring at my bracelet. "I've had it since I was a kid, I thought I had lost it, but I found it a couple of weeks ago.." I said smiling softly.

He smirked and blew out more cigar smoke. 'I gave it to you" was all he said.

"Oh...' I said uncomfortably... realising that this vampire had once thought of me as his own child.

"So you've lived here all this time?" I asked him looking around at the derelict surroundings...

"Yes... ever since she left me I haven't been able to bring myself change anything or touch anything... I've pretty much left everything the way it was since the day she left..." he said sadly.

I could see his heartache on his face, it was surrounding his very soul... if he had a soul that is?

"You loved her very much didn't you?" I asked slowly, as I got up from the sofa, inhaling on my cigarette and coming to stand in front of the table with all of her framed photos on display.

"Loved?" he said nastily. "Lucy I still love her as strongly as the moment I first met her..." he said proudly as he stood up and refilled his glass again. His back was to me as he sculled down his drink. All of a sudden he threw the glass into the fireplace, a small leap of fire roared up into the chimney and then settled down again, he spun around to face me..

"I'm sorry, I wasn't going to ask, but it's killing me..." he said as he stalked over to me...

"Where is she? Is she with anyone? Where did you move to? What does she do with her time?" he said, his black eyes sparking slightly.

I cleared my throat and went to sit on the sofa again... He leaned up against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes closed tightly as if he was expecting to hear the worst.

"She's not with anyone...' I started. He opened his eyes and braced his hands on his knees, exhaling loudly.

'Thank Christ for that...' he muttered, as he straightened up again and leant back on the wall.

"We pretty much moved once a year once I had finished school for the year, she would pack us up and move elsewhere, we've lived in France, Sweden, Russia, Spain, the UK, and several small country towns, but for the last two years we have been in Monaco" I said to him.

"Monaco?" he said raising his eyebrow at me.

"Yes, I went to Lycee Albert" I said smugly.

"Of course you did' he said almost condescendingly. I ignored his snide comment and continued. "Mother writes novels, and is very successful, her work is famous across Europe, and she's made a lot of money..." I said.

"Novels? She writes?" he asked surprised. "Yes that's all she's ever done..' I said truthfully.

"Has she ever told you what she was?" he asked curiously, lighting another cigar. I puffed on my cigarette and smirked to myself.

"No, she never told me anything... I knew that she was different... it was so obvious, never sick, never cold or hungry, she never slept... I've never seen her in the daylight... I damn well knew there was something odd about her, but she never told me...' I said pissed off.

"How did you find out?" he asked me curiously.

"I met another one of your kind in a night club" I said smiling slightly, thinking of how scary Ambrose had been on the phone...

"You what?" asked Edward in disbelief...

"I don't even want to know how you got into a nightclub at your age, but more importantly what are you doing meeting vampires in night clubs?" asked Edward astounded.

"It was nothing... just a one off fling... I'm not seeing him anymore" I half lied.

"But tell me this..." I asked him seriously.

"Is it true that a vampire can develop an unnatural obsession over a human, and if that human no longer felt the same or was separated from their vampire, than the vampire in question would somehow emotionally 'die'?" I asked him, thinking of what Ambrose had said to me on the docked yacht in the harbour.

Edward laughed cruelly and shook his head... "Yes Lucy, just look at me... I'm the very picture of heartache and death" he said seriously...

"Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean it that way..." I said, hating myself for being so stupid...it was obvious mother had been _his. _

He waved off my apology with his hand...

'I have so many questions about what you and mother are... it's so surreal, knowing all my life that she was something...different... something other than human and now knowing for real that she's a vampire, yet I still don't really know anything about what she is...' I said shaking my head confused..

"Lucy I think it would be best for your mother to answer those questions... I've said too much already..." Edward said.

He sat on the edge of the sofa and wiped his hand over his face, he sighed and looked up at me with his sunken black eyes...

"She doesn't know where you are does she?" he said smirking.

"No... She thought I was going to the Greek Islands with some school friends, as an end of school celebration" I said truthfully.

"She'll come after you Lucy, and she'll be pissed off, don't underestimate her" he said roughly.

"I'm hoping she'll come after me, maybe then we can get this all sorted out" I said waving my hand between him and the rest of the house.

'But she's supposedly in Italy for work..." I started...

"Italy?" said Edward sitting up straighter.

"Yeah I think she's in somewhere called Volterra?" I said trying to remember Ambrose's weird phone call from last night...

A snarl like a pissed off panther sounded from deep within Edward's chest... I sat back startled, as his eyes became even darker...a silver substance was pooling around the corners of his mouth, and I was paralysed with fear.

"VOLTERRA!" he spat out, the silver substance falling onto the carpet. A small swirl of smoke billowed softly from the carpet. I gasped in shock as I realised the silver spit from his mouth had burned a hole in the carpet.

A string of expletives sounded from his mouth and he suddenly looked delusional..

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked timidly.

He stretched up to his full height and was much taller than I originally thought...

"OF COURSE IT'S A BAD THING!...FUCK IT... I NEED TO FEED..." he said angrily as he spun on his heel and ran out of sight...

**I'm so very sorry it's taken me forever... uni started up again and I've been engrossed with that... next chapter is Bella in Volterra...things will start to get a little complex now (and I promise I'm not waiting to post until I get reviews... I wish I could post every day, but my brain simply doesn't work fast enough ) Love you all xoxoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 B.P.O.V**

**Palace Volterra ; two weeks after Lucy left for America. **

"Ah my Bella!" cooed Prince Aro as he walked through the doors to my suite, unannounced, his bright red eyes greedily looking me up and down. I tried my best to smile and flirt back with him... it was hard and sickening. I had been here for two weeks, almost kept like a prisoner. My phone had been taken off me upon arrival for 'security measures', and I was paranoid about Lucy, I was dying to know if she was ok.

Aro walked confidently up to me, his two guards flanking him, pausing by the doorway. I was sitting down at a lavish gold vanity table, and fixing my hair into a bun. It was late evening and there was yet another form of entertainment being held at the palace. A famous opera was performing exclusively for the royalty of the vampire race, and was being held in Palace Volterra's very own opera theatre. He stood behind me and stared at my reflection... his finger traced the curve of my neck and shoulder and he smiled seductively at me... I looked up at him from under my lashes trying to please him...

"I have a gift for you...' he said huskily, as he stepped back slightly and pulled out a large black velvet box from within the pocket of his very expensive suit. I turned to face him, as he flipped open the case. There on the black silk lining was a hideous heavy gold rope chain with a huge heart shaped diamond hanging from the chain, the diamond was easily the size of a golf ball... I gasped in disgust and shock at the necklace.

"I thought you might like it' he said smugly, mistaking my disgust for pleasure. His leather gloved hand reached around the back of my neck to unfasten my sapphire necklace. I almost stopped his hand, afraid to take my sapphires off... they meant so much to me and I never took them off. But I didn't want to disappoint him and let him fasten the hideous diamond necklace around my neck.

'There!" he said proudly. 'Fit for a princess" he gestured for my hand and I took it gingerly into my own and let him help me up from the gold embroided chair I had been sitting on.

He sighed seductively and pulled me close to his chest. I laughed uncomfortably... "We don't want to be late..." I said trying to wriggle away from him...

"Who cares...' he groaned as he started to kiss my neck... nobody had handled me this way since... Edward... and it made me very uncomfortable. I could see the guards sniggering slightly.

"Your highness... what of your prima wife?" I hissed at him as I pulled away. He looked up at me and he scowled. Princess Margareta was Prince Aro's prima wife, he had three in total, and the prima Princess was not my biggest fan. In fact most of the Volturi , seemed to dislike me. I was too 'young' to be considered among the elite of the vampires, and even though Prince Aro claimed he was attracted to my 'brilliant and creative' mind, everybody knew he was really attracted to my curves. It was no secret that Prince Aro took several mistresses and that Princess Margareta was green with jealously at every single one of them.

Prince Aro had commanded me to Volterra, on the night of his 'private cocktail party' in Monaco. I had read some of my poetry at his party, much to my embarrassment, but when he found out who I was, and that I wrote under the alias name of Germaine Cruz, I had no choice, my writings on heartache and love were popular among the vampires, it inspired them to 'feel' real emotion again, other than those of desire and blood lust. He had told me that I must simply visit him at Palace Volterra to read my work to the rest of his court. I had politely declined and was then discreetly threatened by one of his personal guard before I left the party. Luckily I had been able to bring Christina with me, even though she was never allowed to sit or socialise in the upper circles of the court - Princess Margareta had made sure of that. I had begged for Christina's silence on Lucy, I could _never_ let Prince Aro know about my human daughter, he had a somewhat disdainful view on humans, and saw them as mere insects.

Prince Aro straightened himself up and offered me his arm, his composure was always so eerily proper and over the top. In his other hand he held his diamond topped cane. I took the crook of his arm gingerly and we waltzed out of the room, the double doors to my suite thrown open by his guard, who fell in step behind us. As we walked down the marble corridors, scores of vampires from the Volturi court crowded around and begged favours, and spoke words of blessings and compliments.

"Your highness looks magnificent this evening!' boomed a large vampire who tried to fall in step beside us but was blocked by the personal guard.

From our right side, "I haven't forgotten our _dinner date _tomorrow night, Prince Aro' whispered a female vampire who appeared out of the shadows, smiling seductively at him as we walked past. Prince Aro ignored everyone and focused his attention on me, he spoke low so that only we and his personal guards could hear.. "Vultures the lot of them!" he sneered. "I do so get sick of having them pounce on me with compliments and favours, it gets most tiresome" he said smiling down at me.

"But you my dear, may have _whatever_ you want.." he said smiling more widely and exposing his sharp, white teeth. I laughed lightly at his comment and focused my stare straight ahead.

We arrived at the custom built theatre that was more beautiful than the Paris Opera theatre and took our seats in the private royal theatre box. Princess Margareta was on his left side and I on his right, the other two wives; Vasilissa and Anastasia were not present. The Princess scowled at me and was given a slight hiss by Prince Aro, which caused some smirks from the other vampires who were in the box. Prince Aro had a constant change of advisors and 'friends' and this month's selection were present with us, but next month they could all be different. The other Princes, Marcus and Casius were nowhere to be seen, it was no secret they despised Prince Aro's flirtatious behaviour, but there was nothing they could do about it, Prince Aro was leader and had been for the past three thousand years, he was undefeated.. .

The Opera was beautiful, but my thoughts were going elsewhere, I could not stop fretting over Lucy. I had no idea if she had landed safely in the Greek Islands or how long she was going for, she was more than likely passed out in a gutter somewhere with an empty bottle of vodka in one hand, and a cigarette still hanging out of her mouth. I winced. "Stop it!" I scolded myself; I often let my thoughts run away with me when it came to Lucy. I had prayed that her _vampire_ companion had left with the Volturi, his scent was still nestled deeply in my brain, and I had tried my hardest to source him out, but tracking and scent identifying were not my strongest traits. I had had no mentor, other than my short time with Edward and his family, the rest of my traits and senses had developed on their own as best they could. My main concern was leaving Volterra, I glanced over at the Princess Margareta, she was staring daggers at me... maybe, just maybe she would be my ticket out of here.

**(Christina's Point of View)**

I glanced over my shoulder at the royal box, and saw Bella, sitting there, in her perfect gown with a small frown creasing her forehead. My own forehead creased slightly as I stared at yet another new piece of jewellery he had given her, a huge diamond was suspended off a thick, heavy golden chain, it was beautiful and I was incredibly jealous. I watched as Prince Aro leant beside her ear and whispered something to her, her smile was false and my chest flared with jealously, why should the shy milk sop get all the attention! I was infuriated and needed to remove myself from the opera theatre, before I caused a scene. It was bad enough I was excluded from all the upper social circles, thanks to Princess Margareta, and now I was shoved down in the front of the audience, among all the other favour beggars and hanger ons. I needed to get out. I made my way out into the entrance foyer and set off to find my brother Ambrose. I knew where his rooms were, among the staff quarters and knocked on his door.

He flew it open, having smelt me before I had even knocked. "Christina!" said Ambrose with his half mad smile, as he embraced me. I smiled at his welcome and pushed past him into his small, yet comfortable room. I sat myself down on his small sofa, and arranged my skirts with a huff.

"Oh my little sister, what is wrong?' said Ambrose, tauntingly, already knowing the answer.

I shot him a death stare, as he lounged against his wall near the door, indicating that this would be a short visit.

"You know what's wrong! I want some time with Prince Aro, why can't you get it for me! You're his favourite and most personal guard...' I whined.

Ambrose scowled at me. "You do realise how many Vampires, want an audience with the Prince?" said Ambrose.

I looked at him annoyed, and a flash back of our human life played before my eyes. Ambrose was the most fierce some bare knuckle fighter in most of Romania and Prussia, and the old Eastern Europe. His hits were usually lethal, and the slight madness that plagued him in his human years had come through into his vampire life. Prince Aro had seen Ambrose fight, and had found Ambrose's lust for young women amusing, he turned him, and Ambrose had greedily accepted his new found strength and pledged allegiance to Aro. Ambrose had then turned me, and promised me a life of eternal riches and wonders. Well, little did I know, that you had to work _hard_ to get your place in the vampire world, I had made a living as a succubus of sorts preying on rich men, and taking their money, but there were also hundreds of other female vampires doing the same thing, and staking your territory was harder than it seemed.

I looked up at Ambrose who was examining his nails. "Brother please, I really need to get back into Prince Aro's favour, I'm running out of cash fast, and besides I got you the girl, you _owe_ me..." I said defiantly. Ambrose had acquired a taste for young female women. He enjoyed the charm and seduction and the trust he would build with them, and then he took them for their blood. I had directed him to one of young Lucy Swan's friends, Mischa, having met her briefly at Bella's apartment back in Monaco. She was young, dumb and an outrageous flirt, but little did I know that Ambrose would prefer Lucy over Mischa. Something about the scent of her blood drove him crazy. At first I was horrified and then my vampiric instincts kicked in, and I couldn't care less, especially after seeing Prince Aro fawn after Bella. But Ambrose had lingered the process for too long, he didn't feel that he had built her trust up enough, and he had run out of time, before having to return to Volterra. Lucy was supposed to have gone to the Greek islands and Ambrose had told me of his plan to track her down, and hunt her through the Island, he had gotten excited and was then massively pissed off when she followed through on her stupid plan to go to America to find her father. I knew that in America was the vampire that had turned Bella, but Bella never spoke of him and Ambrose was weary of following her to the States. America ran an almost different system of vampire politics; there was hardly any loyalty to the Volturi Crown in the American continent. Ambrose was at a loss of what to do, and had been avoiding Aro as much as possible, until he could come up with a reason to take personal leave.

"Yes and didn't that turn out well!' sneered Ambrose, snapping his jaws shut.

"Well maybe you should have taken her before you came back to Italy! I said annoyed, it wasn't my fault he liked to draw out the hunt.

"Fine I'll see what I can do!" snapped Ambrose as he held the door open for me, clearly my cue to leave. I sped out of the room fast and down to the feeding chambers, I needed to drink!

**B.P.O.V.**

After an entire evening of opera, and pleasantries, I was at my wits end. I begged Prince Aro goodnight, and he followed me out to the hallway, the entire congregation of vampires watching us leave together, leaving the embarrassed Prima Princess with a large audience of scornful vampires. I arrived at my suites and tried to bid Prince Aro goodnight, he of course tried to seduce me once again, and once more I tried to fob him off. "Madam this getting most tiresome!" snarled Prince Aro... I had had enough of his behaviour. "You are becoming most tiresome!" I threw back at him, as I unfastened the hideous necklace and threw it down on the vanity table.

Prince Aro looked shocked that I had retorted back. He had probably never had anybody argue with him. He cleared his throat, and his gloved hands smoothed out his long pony tail of dark hair. "Well madam, I can see that clearly I am not what you want" he said his red eyes flashing at me. I stood across from him, my arms crossed over my chest.

"So what exactly do you want then?' said Prince Aro with a dangerous snarl. I let my arms unfold and hang by my side... "I just want to go home" I said softly.

He narrowed his eyes at me and then laughed loudly clapping his hands together. He shook his head softly and then without another word stormed out of my room.

I was going insane! It was obvious I didn't want to sleep with him, why did he keep persisting? Surely he had hundreds of other lovers willing and waiting. He had three wives! The Prima Princess was without a doubt one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen, even more so than Rosalie Cullen. Yet that didn't seem enough for Aro? Thinking of the Princess had reminded me of my idea... I sat down at the vanity table and penned a quick note; I folded it twice and then rang the little gold bell that was on the table. A second later, a plain dressed maid flew through the door; her red eyes making me shiver ever so slightly.

"Georgia, thank you for coming so quickly, I need this delivered to Princess Margareta, it must only be for her...if you make sure no one else sees it, I will give you this necklace..." I said holding up the ugly piece of jewellery. Georgia looked astounded.

"Yes marm!" she stuttered in her thick English accent, as she took the folded note and sped out of my room.

**Bella and Edward next chapter! Whoo hoo!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: **L.P.O.V.**

I yawned and stretched my arms above my head. I felt something soft and sat up slowly, realising I had fallen asleep in the huge golden bed upstairs, in the room where I had changed into my mother's tracksuit. I had come back up stairs after waiting for Edward to return. He had freaked me the fuck out. I had never seen anything look so fierce some or pissed off. The way his black eyes seemed to have gotten darker, and the terrifying snarl that had built up in his chest. And what was with the super spit? I had no idea that their spit was like acid? I had waited for Edward to come back, after he had sprinted off, but I had gotten tired fast and went upstairs to sleep.

My body ached as I climbed out of the huge bed and padded to the door, still in mother's pink tracksuit. I walked out into the hall, and I froze for a second. The smell... it didn't smell musty or like something had died in the walls, it smelt... _clean_ and of orange blossoms? Lavender? The hallway was still dark as the curtains were drawn across the massive windows, but a weak sunlight cast odd shadows on the curtains and I drew them back slowly, having difficulty with the heavy weight of the fabric. I gasped as the sunlight filled the upstairs hallway. The carpet was a brilliant white, the walls were smooth and clean looking, there was no dust and no mould like there was yesterday, it was all gone. I walked towards the top of the spiral case, and studied the pictures hanging on the wall, that I hadn't seen yesterday. There were so many of them, all of my mother and me, and occasionally Edward was in them too. I headed down stairs, and once again was blown away with the beauty of the house. The furniture was dust free and the carpets were clean and soft underfoot, the stench of death was gone and the smell of orange blossoms and lavender was stronger downstairs, I wandered into the kitchen, stainless steel and granite marble were polished to perfection and I noticed a sliding door was open and that it led out onto a beautiful deck. There was a cigar butt still smoking in the ash tray on the massive outdoor table. There was also a laptop and several pieces of paper scattered over the table as well. I wondered over to the table and glanced around me, looking for Edward, he was nowhere to be seen. I peered at the email that was open on the lap top, and then decided against it and went back inside. My stomach started to growl and I opened the pantry door only to be disappointed, the shelves were cleaned, and smelt fresh, but there was no food. I went over to the polished sink and turned the tap on; the water must have come back on. I found a glass and took a long drink of water, resting my hands on the edge of the counter.

After my drink of water I wandered back through the house... "Edward?" I called out loudly. There was no response. I looked out the window and realised it was late afternoon, I must have slept the whole day, my stomach growled again and a slight pounding started in my head. "Ugh!" I sighed to myself, 'I need food!' I ran back upstairs and used the shower in the ensuite that was part of the room I had stayed in last night. I pulled on a pair of jeans and a basic fitted top and dragged a brush through my hair. I went back down to the lower level and found the garage adjoining the kitchen.

There was an empty space in the garage where slight oil marks tarnished the concrete floor. The other space was occupied by a sleek red sports car; it was definitely old but looked powerful. I glanced around the garage looking for keys, I couldn't find Edward, and I was starving, surely he wouldn't mind if I borrowed his car to get some food? I felt a little guilty as I found some keys hanging on a key rack, just inside the garage next to the door that led to the kitchen. I tried a couple of times to unlock the door of the red car, and finally found a match. I quickly got in and turned the ignition, the car revved to life sounding more powerful than I thought it would...

I smiled to myself and pressed the remote control fixed behind the rear vision mirror, to let the garage door open.

I stomped on the accelerator and the car swerved before it shot of the garage. I laughed to myself as I got the car back under control and fish tailed onto the highway. 20 minutes later I arrived back in the main street I had been in yesterday and slowed the car down to an almost crawl. I found the Thrift way supermarket and pulled into the nearly empty parking lot. There were only a handful of other cars in the small lot, and I realised that it must almost be closing time for the supermarket.

I wandered in and grabbed a trolley. I had a hard time recognising what everything was, the labels and packaging were all different to what I was used to back home. After about 10 minutes I finally found the choc chip cookies and started to throw several packets into the trolley. A little way down the aisle I noticed a young guy, maybe in his early twenties studying a bottle of something. He was unbelievably hot. I felt my groin pulse slightly as I imagined him naked. He had a deep tan and looked very exotic. His jet black hair was cropped short and messy, and he was wearing a pair of tight denim jeans that fit his ass well. His singlet top was a dark khaki green and showed off his well muscled arms, a long necklace came down to his chest, but I was too far away to see what was on the chain. Suddenly he looked up at me, and I turned away quickly fidgeting with the items in my trolley. I took a deep breath and slowly pushed the trolley down the aisle towards him and came to a stop, pretending to scan the items on the shelves in front of me. I adjusted my top so a little more cleavage spilled out, and put my hand on my hip, trying to find something, anything I could fix my gaze on. I saw the side of his cheek pull up into a smirk. I glanced at what he had in his hand.

'Oh that's what I was looking for!" I blurted out, pointing to the item in his hand and smiling up at him brightly. He raised his eyebrow at me. "Mr Muscle protein powder?" he said in a deep husky voice, his accent was tainted with a southern drawl.

Shit! I hadn't looked at his item properly, protein powder? "Uh..." I said stupidly... not sure what to say.

He shook his head and then continued on down the aisle leaving me standing there stupidly. Never had a guy walked away from me like that. I blushed furiously and stomped down the rest of the aisle, chucking in anything that looked remotely sugary.

Once I had paid for my items and loaded them into the back of the car, I slammed the trunk down and rummaged around in my purse, I found my cigarettes and fumbled with the packet, I was still so embarrassed about how that guy had brushed me off. I lit up and leaned against the trunk, inhaling deeply on the cigarette, while I pulled out my cell and turned it on.

"Nice car!" shouted a voice a few metres to my left. I looked up surprised and saw the hot guy from the supermarket in an old 4WD; he grinned at me, and took off in his car. I stared after him in awe, and a beep from my phone brought me back to earth. I checked the msg, and winced when I saw it was from Ambrose...

"**Lucy my love, did you find what you were looking for? I hope you are ok, you should come back to Europe, how about I organise to fly you to Italy on the way home, and we can have a holiday in Venice or Rome... I really need you..."**

I deleted the message and tried calling mother again, straight to voicemail once more. I sighed and got back into the car, squishing my cigarette on the parking lot concrete before starting the car. I easily found my way back onto the main road and started off in the direction of Edward's house. Just before the town limits I noticed a brightly lit small building that was just off the freeway, my windows were down and I caught a drift of country music, and laughter from what looked like a dirt parking lot. I craned my neck as I sped past and swear I saw the same old 4WD that hot guy had been in, now parked in what appeared to be the parking lot of a bar. I kept a mental note of where it was located and pushed down on the accelerator a little more.

After about 20 minutes and nearly missing the turn off, I pulled into the driveway of the house, appreciating the washed walls and now manicured gardens. There were mounds of wet grass from the lawn having been mowed, dumped onto the garden, with the lawns now looking fresh and tidied. I shook my head in amazement at how much he had done in so little time. I waited for the garage door to slowly open and my heart dropped to my stomach as a pissed off Edward stood at the back of the garage, arms folded across his chest. I gulped as I slowly parked the car, and noticed a shiny black Jag now occupied the vacant space that had been there before. I opened the door slowly and got out, trying not to look at him.

"**WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN? HAVE YOU ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I WAS?"** shouted Edward. He had suddenly appeared before me and had my wrist in his hand before I could even blink. I dropped the car keys that were in that hand from fright, and his super fast reflexes caught them. It was then that I noticed him...He was no longer sick or frail, his skin was still slightly grey but no longer had the hollow contours, his jaw was squarer, and his shoulders looked bigger, he had literally 'filled out'. His eyes were very black and hardened at the corners, he was breathing heavily, and the super acid spit was pooling at his mouth... I started to feel afraid, and could feel my flight or fight response kicking in, I was shaking heavily and he continued to glare at me.

'EDWARD!" shouted a male voice from the door leading to the kitchen. I gasped in surprise as I didn't realise anyone else was here. What was surely another vampire stood in the door way, the light from the kitchen casting a glowing halo around his bleach blonde hair. Edward snapped out of it, as the golden vampire shouted his name. Edward looked like he was going to be sick. "Lucy, I'm so sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me... I'm just so worried about your mother... about Bella and then... and then... you weren't here when I got back... I... I..." he couldn't finish his sentence properly and gripped his tousled bronzed hair; he fell to his knees and started heaving... I thought he was sobbing. I stood there dumbfounded and then the blonde vampire muttered something that sounded like 'Jesus Christ' and crossed the garage to Edward, faster than my eyes could register.

"Lucy, dear, come into the living room... I'm so sorry about this sudden outburst... my name is Esme`, I'm Edward's mother" said a soft, polite voice from the doorway where the blonde vampire had been. Esme`, somehow Edward's mother, even though she looked no older than 25, was a petite vampire with caramel honey hair that was waved in a 1940's hair do. She had on a beautiful lavender knee length skirt, with a white silk blouse tucked into the waist band, her makeup and nails were polished to perfection, and her small feet were in high stiletto's, she was beautiful. I glanced down at the heaving Edward and the blonde vampire who was crouched down to his level, talking to him sternly and shaking Edward's shoulders. I couldn't pick up on the conversation, their words flowing too rapidly.

I looked up at Esme` timidly, who had her pale, thin hand stretched out towards me... she seemed nice enough I mused to myself. I timidly walked over to her, and let her put her arms around my shoulders, as she escorted me into the living room. She had a motherly sense about her, and I felt somewhat at ease as she gently guided me to the sofa. She sat next to me and held my hands in hers. She beamed at me brightly, her white teeth almost too dazzlingly. "Oh Lucy..." said Esme`, as if she had known me all her life. "The last time I saw you, you were still in diapers! You have grown up so much!' she cooed at me.

"Oh..." was all I could come up with. I still felt shaken from Edward's outburst. Esme` patted my hands and then folded her own into her lap. Her head perked up and looked in the direction of the garage, like she had heard something; I turned to follow her gaze, and didn't see anything.

"Lucy I am so sorry for my son's behaviour... my husband, Carlisle and I, have not seen Edward for several years, he choose to live as a recluse, and refused to see us... but after your arrival... he contacted us for err... support... you could say" she looked like stone, and I wondered if she was trying to hide something. I looked at her confused and could feel my brow furrowing. Something smashed loudly in the garage, and a string of curses shouted closely afterwards.

"Oh dear' muttered Esme` bringing her hand up to her mouth. Her gaze flickered back to me. "Lucy, I'm going to cut to the chase, you need to bring your mother here right now! My son is planning on going to Volterra, to find Bella, he wanted Carlisle to come with him, but Carlisle and I are deeply concerned. The political situation in Volterra, is tense, there are talks of trying to throw the current leader off the throne... it's not safe for _anyone _to be in Volterra. And Edward is somewhat...troubled, he'll get himself killed if he doesn't keep his emotions in check, the only way to stop this madness is to get Bella here now! Surely you can get in contact with her?" pleaded Esme`. My head swam from all the information she was throwing at me Ambrose told me that mother was in Volterra, but I couldn't get a hold of her, and now it seemed like she was in danger... I started to get upset and a few tears slid down my cheek.

"Lucy! Please don't cry! I'm sorry sweetheart, we just really need your mother here, I'm sure she's fine, she's such a strong woman, she can look after herself..." cooed Esme`, as she crushed me into a hug, her body was cold, but she smelt like fresh honey, and her hug soothed me.

"Lucy?" asked Edward concerned from behind me. I broke away from Esme`s hug and wiped at my face, looking up at him over my shoulder. His face was pained, and the blonde vampire, Carlisle was standing behind him. "I'm so sorry sweet pea, I didn't mean to frighten you, it's just been a lot for me to take in, I am so glad you're here, but when you said Bella was in Volterra, I just can't help but worry about her, it's not a safe place and she's so beautiful... "He trailed off... he started to get upset again and Carlisle put a hand on Edward's shoulder...

"Calm down son, she'll come looking for Lucy, I guarantee you she'll be here within a week" said Carlisle, though he didn't seem too convinced.

"Ok I think I've had enough for one night!" I said wiping away the tears that had escaped my eyes. Night had just fallen over the forest that backed the house, sending odd shadows dancing on the extra clean carpet. My stomach growled loudly, and the three vampires looked up at me, almost startled.

"Oh Lucy I didn't even think of food!" said Edward in anguish. "No it's ok, I went out and got some groceries but I think I might head out for a bit..." I said wanting to get away from this mad household, and have some time think.

"I don't think..." started Edward but his mother interrupted him. "Go get some fresh air honey, but don't be too long" she smiled at me. I nodded and shrugged my shoulders, hurrying back to the garage, and grabbing the keys for the red car again.

20 minutes later I found myself pulling into the dirt parking lot of the bar that I saw on the way home from the grocery store. I hadn't even realised I had been driving here until I pulled up out front. It was a small, but well lit building, that had a flickering neon sign, displaying the words "Jack's steak house" but with the letters 'k' and 'u' missing. I heard country music blaring from inside, and laughter drifted out over the parking lot. I got out of the car, and scanned the lot; the old 4WD was still here. My heart skipped a beat, and I let my worries from before disappear. I walked through the entrance and was glad there was no bouncer to check ID. My eyes roamed the restaurant/bar, and it was filled with families eating huge portions of steak and grease covered side dishes, there were groups of young adults with beers in hand, shooting pool, and a well endowed bar chick busy filling glasses with beer. I looked around eagerly for the hot guy and spotted him in the far corner with a group of four other guys, all tanned and dark haired. It was then that I realised he must have been Native American. They were playing pool, and laughing loudly with one another, they seemed to be having a good time. Now that I was here, I was unsure of what to do.

'Excuse me miss, are you here for dinner or drinks?' said a young high pitched voice. A girl with blonde curly hair, not much older than myself, was standing next to me with a tray of empty glasses balanced on her hand. The boys in the far corner laughed loudly, and the waitress glanced over at them, a small smile playing on the corner of her mouth.

"Ummm some food would be good" I said to her. "You here all by yourself?" she asked me raising an eyebrow at me, as she scanned me over with her dark grey eyes. "

'Bitch' I thought to myself.

"Yeah" was all I responded with...

She smiled and sat her tray down on the bar; she looked over at the group of boys again and then placed a menu in front of me. I sat down at the counter and I felt slightly uncomfortable being in full view of the restaurant but also hoped that the hot guy would notice me. I flicked my long hair over my shoulder and sat up a bit straighter. The waitress narrowed her eyes at me, as she put the tray with dirty glasses away. I ignored her and scanned the menu in front of me. It was plastic and covered in stains, but my stomach growled loudly and I wanted food now!

"Hey Britney!' shouted a voice over the loud country music. I glanced up and saw the hot guy was shouting out to the waitress. Britney lit up and smiled at him. "Another round honey" he said raising his beer bottle in the air.

"Sure thing Chris!" she said too enthusiastically. She grabbed five bottle of beer and strutted over to the corner of the bar where the boys were playing pool. They were rowdy and my eyes were drawn to Chris, the hot guy. His smile was brilliant and white, his height was impressive and he looked seriously muscled. Britney was flirting with him outrageously touching his arm and laughing along with them all. She had perched herself, in her tight denim shorts on the corner of the pool table and was ignoring the rest of the restaurant, I was starving but she was too busy flirting. I looked around for other staff, but there was no one else to be seen. I kept glaring at her, hoping to get her eye, but she had most of her back to me. Chris was smiling down at her, playing with the end of her blonde curls, and suddenly he looked up at me. He registered recognition and grinned at me nodding his head. He said something to Britney the waitress and she looked over at me annoyed. She rolled her eyes at me and sauntered back over. I couldn't help but feel triumphant.

"You know what you want yet?" drawled the waitress. I ordered a steak, medium rare with mushroom sauce, and fries and salad, and handed her back the menu, I asked her for a scotch on the rocks, and turned my attention back to Chris, I could feel her eyes blazing into my back. To my disappointment, Chris pretended like he never saw me, and didn't once glance in my direction.

Twenty minutes later, Britney clattered my food down, and finally had made my drink. I shot the Scotch back in one go and got stuck into the steak, it tasted of fat and the outside was char grilled heavily. I didn't care and finished the whole meal in less than ten minutes. I sighed in appreciation. My stomach was no longer growling but now I looked like I was pregnant, I was so bloated; I tucked the waist band of my jeans up a little higher, to hide the bloat, and then was startled when Chris sat down heavily beside me.

'Well hey there... how'd ya go with the protein powder? Got a work out in before coming out tonight?' he chuckled at me, as he tilted his head back and swallowed his beer. I tried to turn my flirt on, but was still so rattled from before.

"Of course! I work out all the time" I said sarcastically flipping my hair back over my shoulder.

He raised his eyebrows at me. His lean forearms were resting on the bar, and his body was angled towards me, as he perched on the bar stool, too tall to sit down properly, his feet were braced on the floor.

'You're not from around here are you kid?' he asked me. I narrowed my eyes at the word "kid".

"No I'm not" I said running my hands through the ends of my hair. I could see Britney pretending to dry glasses, listening to our conversation.

"You want another drink?" he asked me, looking at my empty glass. "Sure" I said as coolly as I could manage, I was still embarrassed about the previous meeting we had, and wanted him to think I was super cool.

"Another beer Britney and whatever she's having" he said jerking his thumb in my direction. He winked at Britney and she looked at him seductively.

"So where you from?' he asked picking up a tooth pick and twirling it between his teeth, the way most American guys seemed to do.

"I'm from Monaco" I said, trying to tilt the French accent just a little more than necessary.

Britney slammed our drinks down and then walked over to Chris's friends, obviously annoyed that Chris was talking to me.

"Monaco?" said Chris in surprise... "What on earth are you doing here in Forks then?" he said curiously, sipping from his beer, and smiling at the same time... my heart skipped a beat for a second, he was just too hot, so much better looking than Ambrose.

"Uhhh" I said stupidly not being able to concentrate. "Ummmm I was looking for my dad" I said truthfully, as I stared into his deep brown eyes.

"Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to pry" he said getting a little defensive. "No no its fine!" I said laughing it off. I turned my body towards him and crossed my leg over my knee.

Silence. "So ummm you live here then?" I asked trying to pick the conversation up again. Chris had been looking back at his friends playing pool. He turned his attention back to me.

"Yeah, I live in Forks most of the week, I own the local mechanic shop, but my mom lives on the reservation just down the coast, and I visit her most weekends" he said looking at his beer.

He visits his mom? How cute! I thought to myself. "So you're native American?" I asked him as I looked at his deep tanned skin. He nodded his head in response. I glanced down at the long necklace he had on and saw a small ornament hanging from the end of the leather necklace. It was a tiny wolf, carved from wood. I wondered if it had some sort of tribal meaning.

He sat up a bit straighter and continued to sip on his beer. "So that's a nice car you were driving before?" he asked me questioningly. "Your dad's?" he asked almost condescendingly. I scowled slightly and he snickered at me. "You could say that' I half lied, thinking that Edward would be the closest thing I would ever have as a father.

"It's a classic' he said shaking his head in appreciation, and smiling broadly. I shrugged my shoulders not knowing much about cars. "I have a black Jaguar XKR back home" I said smiling smugly, thinking that was all I knew about my car and then hoping he wouldn't ask me any more questions about it.

He whistled low. "Really?" he asked me. I nodded my head in agreement. He leant his arms on the bar more and shook his head slightly. "Spoilt little rich kid" he muttered sarcastically under his breath. "Excuse me?" I said taken aback by his rudeness.

He laughed at me. "Come on kid, surely your mom or dad bought you that car, there's _no way_ a 16 year old..." he said looking at my scotch "... could afford that kind of car"

I started to blush, mother had bought it for me that was true... but I was not a spoilt little rich kid! He noticed my blush. "Oh come on kid lighten up" he said playfully.

"My name is Lucy, not _kid_" I said indignantly. "Lucy?" he mused to himself. "I'm Chris, nice to meet you" he winked at me. I was getting all kinds of weird vibes from him, hot, cold, hot, cold, hot again...

"Well _Lucy_, I best join my boys again..." he said standing up to his full height. I stared at him in awe...

"No more drinks for you, if you're going to drive home, you shouldn't even be drinking..." he said to me sternly, before winking and walking off to join his mates. I felt somewhat ruffled by his arrogant behaviour, at least I knew his name and that he owned the local mechanic shop, but he hadn't asked to see me again? Maybe I should take Edward's car in to get a service? Would that be too desperate? As I was lost in thought, finishing my drink, my phone beeped again. Another text message from Ambrose.

"**Lucy why haven't you replied to my message? I really need to see you... Are you ok?"**__ I glanced over at Chris and smiled to myself, my thoughts of Ambrose and his kisses in Monaco, washed out of my mind and was replaced with thoughts of Chris and me making out. I deleted Ambrose's message and contemplated getting a new phone, but then I needed this one for whenever mother would call. I jumped off the bar stool and put some American bills onto the counter, making sure there was hardly any tip left over in what would be the change, that bitch waitress didn't deserve a tip. I walked out the door, catching Chris's eye as I left the bar. I smiled to myself and went over to my car.

"You sure you're ok to drive?' asked a deep husky voice behind me. I turned around slowly and leant up against the car, the dim lighting in the car park, cast a soft glow over Chris's face, he was just too damn cute.

"I'll be fine" I said sweetly to him. "Where are you staying?" he asked cheekily smiling at me, as he leant his hand next to my head on the car, he was so much closer to me... I could smell his masculine scent of leather, and a touch of gasoline, obviously from his mechanic shop.

"Cascada Drive' I said raising an eyebrow at him. Chris's smile faltered... "Cascada Drive? No one lives down that way? That was a proposed housing estate that some big shot company wanted to develop, but it never got underway..." he said furrowing his brow.

"Well that's where I'm staying" I said not sure how to respond to his statement.

"Well kid, you know where to find me if you want to hang out again..." he said as he brought his lips close but then backed off and winked at me, as he walked back into the bar. My eyes were half closed waiting for his kiss, my groin had pulsed slightly and I had been ready to let a small moan slip from my lips. "Damn it" I muttered to myself. I got into the car and started the engine.

As I was speeding back down to the freeway, I started thinking of Edward and his strange parents. What was going on? Edward had seemed to be having a melt down every couple of hours since I first met him. He must have loved my mother so very much, when I first saw how thin and weak he was, it was obvious he was enduring some kind of emotional pain. He had "turned" my mother, whatever that meant? Did he bite her? Is that how one became a vampire?

My thoughts were a mish mash of Ambrose and his creepy behaviour, Edward and his melt downs and my concern for mother, who I hoped was not in danger in Voltara, or whatever the city was called. I wondered if I should mention this 'Prince Aro' to Edward and his family? Somehow it seemed like mother was there because of him. I remembered Ambrose's phone conversation

_..." ... when Prince Aro wants something or someone, he gets it, no matter what it takes..."... "And the same can be said for me"_

I shivered at the remembered phone conversation. And then my phone started up its loud ring tone. My heart dropped for a second as I prayed it wasn't Ambrose calling. I fished for the phone out of my purse, while I kept one hand on the steering wheel. "Damn it" I muttered as I tried to find the phone. Eventually I pulled it out and flipped it open with the side of my cheek, trying to control the sensitive sports car at the same time.

"Hello?" I said breathlessly, I hadn't looked at the caller ID. "LUCY! WHERE ARE YOU?"Screeched my mother on the other end...

"MOM!" I said almost relieved, but I was so surprised that the car swerved dangerously close to the edge of the freeway.

"Are you ok mom?" I asked concerned.

"WHERE ARE YOU! I KNOW YOU'RE NOT IN THE GREEK ISLANDS, YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW I KNOW?" she yelled at me, she didn't give me a chance to respond. "I COME HOME FROM MY WORK TRIP AND LISTEN TO SEVERAL MESSAGES ON THE MACHINE FROM YOUR FRIEND MISCHA, WHO IS ASKING WHY YOU SKIPPED OUT ON HER AT THE AIRPORT?' she shouted. I held the phone away from ear.

"NOW FOR THE LAST TIME LUCY, WHERE ARE YOU!" she screeched hysterically.

"Mom calm down, I err... didn't go to the Greek Islands...' I started, trying to figure out the best way to tell her where I was.

"OBVIOUSLY" spat out my mother, she was so pissed.

"I um I found my birth certificate" I said timidly.

Silence...

"Mom you there?' I asked her.

"You come home right now" she said quietly, but her words dripped in acid.

"Mom I know about Edward, I know about my father... I'm not coming home" I said defiantly. I had approached the garage of the house. I slowly parked the car and got out, listening to my mother pleading with me. I tilted my head back and groaned in frustration as I walked into the kitchen. I could see Esme' and Carlisle sitting on the sofa in the living room, talking quietly to each other. Suddenly Edward appeared in the kitchen, closing the sliding door to the deck behind him, he still had a smoking cigar in one hand, and he looked a mess once again. He looked at me curiously, tilting his head to one side.

"Lucy! Are you listening to me! You come home right now!" Recognition sparked in Edward's eyes, his cigar dropped from his hand.

"No" I said defiantly to my mother.

"Fine then I'm coming to you...and I'm taking you home!" she said nastily. 'I'll be there in 24 hours" she said as the phone clicked and she hung up.

I sighed partly in relief, knowing she was still alive, and partly in fear, because of the wrath I'd be facing in 24 hours.

"Was that her?" choked out Edward. I glanced up at him and bit my lip, nodding slightly.

"She's coming?" he asked seriously.

I nodded again. Carlisle and Esme` were standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Carlisle's nose wrinkled slightly as he looked at me... did I smell bad? I was distracted by Edward's reaction.

"OH MY GOD, SHE'S COMING!" his face broke into a breath taking smile and he suddenly picked me up into a giant hug and spun me around laughing. I shrieked slightly at the velocity of the spin and he put me down gently. He ruffled the top of my hair...

'Thank you" he beamed at me as he sprinted off into the living room and up the stair case... "so much to do... so much to do...' he shouted to himself. I stared after him in amazement and thought how weird this family was. Esme` held her hands to her chest, smiling after Edward, obviously happy he was out of his depressive manic state. Carlisle strode over to me, and then leaned against the kitchen counter, as Esme` trailed off after Edward. He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a thin silver case. He flipped it open and pulled out a cigar. He lit up and then blew the cigar smoke out. He fixed his gaze on me.

'So Lucy, did you have a pleasant evening?' asked Carlisle. He intimidated me and I didn't like it.

"Yes thank you..." I said non committed as I turned to leave. "Lucy" he called out after me. I glanced back at him. "You be careful who you hang out with" he said staring at me levelly. I furrowed my brow at him and trudged up stairs, dismissing his statement. I could hear Esme` and Edward talking excitedly from a room down the hallway, presumably his office. I went into what used to be my mother's room, and stripped my clothes off, jumping into the big golden bed. The room had been cleaned since I was last in here. The sheets were fresh and the room smelt of lavender and rosewood. I drifted off into a restless sleep, anxiously thinking of my reunion with mother.

The following morning, I was up early, unable to sleep much at all. I came downstairs, after showering and changing. And stared at the room before me... Every spare surface was covered in massive bouquets of flowers. The smell was overpowering, but was the most delicate mix of fragrances. There were new cushions on the sofas, in hues of pink and cream, mother's favourite colours. The low table under the TV with frames of mother and I were rearranged carefully. I padded into the kitchen, to see Edward stocking the fridge with bottles upon bottles of champagne.

"Good morning princess" said Edward in a happy tone. 'What on earth...' I started. "I know, I know it's a bit over the top, but I really want your mother to come back to what this place used to look like... we always had plenty of champagne on hand" he said as he closed the fridge and clapped his hands together. His suit was impressive, incredibly wrinkle free and smooth, the fabric was expensive looking and hinted at designer origins.

"I was thinking if you wouldn't mind, that I might move you into the guest bedroom? I would very much like Bella, to have her old bedroom back, if that's ok with you?" he asked politely. His topaz eyes were shining.

"But you guys don't sleep, why would you want the bedroom..." I trailed off... "Oh dear lord!" I winced as I realised he was hinting at bedroom activities...

He laughed loudly... "Here's hoping" he grinned at me. I shook my head and wandered back into the living room and flipped the TV on. I channel surfed and found a trash TV show to watch. He followed me into the living room.

' I was thinking maybe you could wear one of her outfits, like maybe a nice dress or something, you know something that would remind her of living here..." he asked me lost in thought.

I started to think that maybe he had gone delusional again, mother wasn't coming here for him, she was coming to take me back home... whatever their history was between them, I figured it wasn't good, he was getting a bit carried away.

"Sure' I said softly nodding at him, and then taking my attention back to the TV screen. I sat in front of the TV, watching the time go by, it was close to lunch time and I was starting to get bored. Edward was getting on my nerves; he kept rearranging everything and adding more flowers. Carlisle and Esme` had gone back to their own home, and had promised Edward they wouldn't be far away if he needed them when my mother came back.

I went upstairs to grab my purse; I was desperate to get out of the house. On the golden bed, were several dresses laid out neatly.

"I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of putting some choices on the bed" said Edward from behind me. I jumped startled, not knowing he was there. I sighed and looked at the dresses. They were beautiful, old school, but very classy. He left me to get changed and I picked out a cream dress, that had thick straps, and a heart shaped neck line, it fit me well enough, the skirt was slightly full and came down to my knees. I rummaged in the wardrobe and found some cream coloured wedge shoes. I went into the ensuite and brushed my hair out. The little make up I had brought with me, I dug out from my bag and plastered it on. I stepped back from the mirror and admired my reflection. "Not bad' I thought. I went out into the hall, where Edward was waiting impatiently.

His face lit up. "Perfect!" he said clapping his hands again. "You're so grown up" he softly, as he brushed some hair off my shoulder. I didn't know what to say to him, it felt like we were having a father, daughter moment, but I wasn't sure how to respond.

"Umm well... I'm going to head out for a bit, grab a few things..." I said awkwardly. 'Right, no worries... "Said Edward, just as awkwardly.

"Make sure you're not late!" said Edward after me as I pranced down the stairs. I rolled my eyes at him, it was still early afternoon.

I drove around the small town of Forks, not sure what I was looking for or where I was going. I found a hairdressing salon in the strip mall, and asked the receptionist if anyone had time for a cut and colour. The receptionist beamed at me and made a fuss over me, obviously sensing I was from out of town. After two and a half hours of foiling and rinsing, cutting and blow drying I emerged from the salon with gorgeous hair. I tipped the hairdresser well and jumped back into the car. I noticed that the fuel was low and I scanned the main street for a service station. I found one near the end of the street, and pulled up to the only pump. This really was Hicksville. It was then that I noticed the service station was actually a mechanics shop. My heart jumped as I glanced at the entrance of the workshop and saw Chris bent over the hood of a car. He had on dirty jeans, and boots, with a rag sticking out of his back pocket, his lean upper body was topless, and I bit my lower lip as I perved on him unashamedly. I filled up the petrol tank and went to the workshop front counter. The young girl, who manned the counter, eyed my dress and gave me a small smile. I kept glancing at Chris, but he hadn't noticed me. I finished paying and was unsure if I should approach him.

I bit on my lip nervously and went to stand behind him. "Well hey there" I said playfully, putting a hand on my hip. He turned around and then grinned at me. His eyes scanned me from head to toe.

"Well hi yourself" he said as he wiped his hands on his rag. He brushed his forearm over his forehead, wiping away the sweat from his brow. His chest gleaned with a slight sheen, and I almost gasped at the contours of his abs.

"Nice hair!" he said smiling at me.

"Thanks' I said shyly.

'So you get all dressed up just to see me?' he said raising his eyebrows at me.

"Ha ha, you would like to think so, but actually my mother is coming into town tonight, I haven't seen her in a while' I said truthfully.

"I see" he grinned at me.

"So how long you staying here for?" he asked me, as he opened a bottle of cold water and sculled half of it. I watched some of the water escape his lips and splash onto his rock hard chest.

"Ummm I'm not sure, "I said truthfully. A sudden wave of panic gripped me, as I realised this might be the last time I see him, if mother had her way.

His smile dropped.

"Oh that's a shame, I was hoping I could take you out sometime..." he said shrugging his shoulders, as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"I would love that!" I blurted out.

"Well I'll tell you what, why don't you stop by the shop tomorrow around 5:30 when I close up and we'll go get something to eat and have a drink or two' he said grinning at me. I stared at his deep brown eyes and felt my pulse racing.

"Sure that sounds great" I said far too enthusiastically. He laughed lightly, "Alright then I'll see you tomorrow" he winking at me as he disappeared back into the shop.

I felt like I was floating as I walked back to the car, and then sat down heavily on the leather seats, I started the car, and squealed in delight as I realised he had just asked me out.

I sped down the freeway, and turned the music up loud. When I arrived back at the house, I parked the car in its usual spot and slammed the door with my hip. I started humming to myself, as I walked into the kitchen and dumped my purse on the counter. "Hey Edward!" I shouted out. "Can I open champagne, I really feel like a drink..." I said loudly.

I looked up startled, seeing a figure in the doorway to the living room.

There in all her glory was my mother. "Oh my god mom?" I said in surprise. I had never seen mother dressed the way she was. She had a tight dark blue mini skirt on, with a tight white satin blouse that exposed her cleavage, her feet were in dark blue designer heels, and her hair was out fanning over one shoulder, in a cascade of curls...

"GOD DAMN IT LUCY!" she cursed at me. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and she looked furious, her eyes were black, and cold.

"Bella! Honey, calm down, I told you she was fine" cooed Edward. He had come up behind her, and his face was a mix of emotions. She turned her head to Edward, and growled softly. He towered over her, she was so tiny.

Mother crossed the room to me, and enveloped me in a crushing hug... "Lucy... oh my god Lucy... "She sobbed... I felt a sense of relief knowing she was ok. I hugged her back and she seemed surprised.

She pulled me back and looked into my eyes, she noticed what I wearing then and a small gasp escaped her lips, followed by a smile. 'You look beautiful" she said to me.

"Thanks' I smiled back at her. Even though I was still mad at her covering up my past, I felt happy to see her, and know that she was safe.

"Mom it's time to put all the bull crap behind us, I know that you're a vampire, I know some of your past, it's time for you to tell me the rest" I said sternly.

Mother winced when I said 'vampire' and I felt her hands stiffen. She sighed in defeat and hugged me close again.

"Alright Lucy I'll tell you, but don't you _ever_ run off without telling me where you're going, _ever_ again!" she said as she kissed her cold lips to my forehead.

**Wow that was intense to write! I know I haven't been regularly updating the story, and I'm very sorry for that, it shows in how many little reviews I get. (Thanks so much to those that do review)**

**Good news is I've nearly finished uni for the year, so I have a 3 month break to write! Yay! Bad news is my exams are this week, so I can't update for the next two weeks. But please please, write a review. Next chapter will be Bella's point of view of when she arrives at Edward's house, so you'll get a look into how he acted when he saw her for the first time in 15 years. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 (Bella's Point of View)**

The apartment in Monaco had a strange empty feel to it. The air smelt musty, from having the place shut up for so long. It had taken me a whole night to run from Volterra to Monaco. The mountains were more difficult to navigate then I thought, but at least I had finally escaped that prison.

I was worried about my departure. I had sent Princess Marguerite a note explaining to her that I needed to escape. She despised me for having diverted her husband's attention, and publicly embarrassing her in front of the royal court as a result of Prince Aro's infatuation with me. She was only too eager to help get rid of me. _"Don't think for a moment that I am doing this for your benefit!"_ she had snarled at me. I shivered at the recent memory. That place was full of corrupt desperate begging vampires, all scrambling to get ahead in the royal society. I had learnt that Prince Aro was a ruthless vampire, and was spending beyond his means, the Volturi were in serious debt, and were probably the leading influence and catalyst for the European debt crisis and it would soon bring about the attention of the human population that did business with the vampires. A dark tension was brewing in Volterra and it would soon spill out to the rest of the vampiric population. Surely Aro would not come after me? I shivered at the dark thought of him stalking my scent.

The whole time I had been away I was worried for Lucy. Was she in the Greek Islands? Or had she run off with this Vampire from Volterra, which she had met here in Monaco? The whole time I was there I found no trace of an "Ambrose", which only sparked my fears even more.

I pictured my baby girl dead in an alley, with her life drained from her. I gulped down my sob and quickly ran to my bedroom, where the house phone was kept. My cell had been confiscated in Volterra upon arrival, and I had had no contact with her for too long.

There was small red light flashing on the base of the phone. Perhaps Lucy had left a message for me.

I punched the red flashing button too hard and almost broke the expensive plastic phone.

"Well I hope your happy Lucy, where ever you are! I will _never _forgive you for skipping out on me like that! There are way too many hot guys here for me to worry about you, don't expect a phone call from me when I get back!" screamed Micha, Lucy's friend. I sucked in a breath of unnecessary air in tension.

What did Micha mean? Did Lucy not go on holidays with her friends? With a less than steady hand I punched in Lucy's cell number. It took forever to connect and finally a dial tone started.

My dead heart was pounding in my chest, "pick up Lucy, pick up" I muttered under my breath, my nails falling prey to my sharp teeth...

Hello?" she said breathlessly. "LUCY! WHERE ARE YOU?" I screeched panicked.

"MOM!" she said almost relieved

"Are you ok mom?" she asked concerned. I ignored her question.

"WHERE ARE YOU!? I KNOW YOU'RE NOT IN THE GREEK ISLANDS, YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW I KNOW?" I yelled at her and then didn't give her a chance to respond. "I COME HOME FROM MY WORK TRIP AND LISTEN TO A NASTY MESSAGE ON THE MACHINE FROM YOUR FRIEND MISCHA, WHO IS ASKING WHY YOU SKIPPED OUT ON HER AT THE AIRPORT?!' I shouted so loudly I thought I would break the phone.

"NOW FOR THE LAST TIME LUCY, WHERE ARE YOU!" I screeched hysterically.

"Mom calm down, I err... didn't go to the Greek Islands...' she paused uncertain.

"OBVIOUSLY" I spat out I was so pissed.

"I um I found my birth certificate" I said timidly.

Well that floored me. What the hell? How had she found out? Why was she so determined to find out about her father? A million thoughts were running through my mind, I was so confused and emotional, and then it clicked... she was in Forks.

"Mom you there?' she asked.

"You come home right now" I said quietly

"Mom I know about Edward, I know about my father... I'm not coming home" she said defiantly. I heard a garage door buzz in the background and then a car door slam.

"Lucy! Are you listening to me! You come home right now!" I shouted.

"No" she said icily.

"Fine then I'm coming to you...and I'm taking you home!" I said nastily. 'I'll be there in 24 hours" and then I hung up.

"Welcome to Seattle ladies and gentleman..." said the smooth voice of the French pilot over the PA system. I snapped out of my comatose position and blinked my eyes rapidly. The pretty flight attendant in first class looked at me strangely. I don't blame her, I had been dead still like a statue the whole flight, I had forgotten to pretend to eat; I hadn't shifted my weight or tried to pretend to sleep, the whole way from Paris to Seattle. She obviously thought I was quite strange.

I could have easily jumped into the French Riviera and swam to North America, but I don't think my emotions could have kept me floating. Besides since becoming vampire I hadn't taken full advantage of all the talents a vampire had, and was slightly embarrassed to admit, I had never swum very far and was apprehensive to try it.

I became slightly fidgety as I realised I was close to seeing my daughter, and... Edward.

I had not seen Edward in 15 years. I had been surprised when Edward had not tracked me down after leaving Forks. There had been a small part of me at the time that had thought Edward would track me down, why was I so selfish? I still can picture that broken face of pain as I left with Lucy on that cold afternoon.

Had I been wrong about leaving Edward? Would he have given Lucy a better life than what I had?

I choked down my emotions as I left the airport. I had no luggage with me, except for my handbag, which contained some cosmetics, a hair brush, my passport and documents and my purse.

I blended into the foliage beside one of the many large buildings that made up Seattle airport and started off at a sprint. I had had to take my stilettos off and stuff them into my purse, I was embarrassed to admit, I had not learnt to sprint in stilettos. I felt the cold damp earth squish between my toes, as I ran full speed through the wet trees. I could see the high chain link fence that bordered the boundaries of the airport and I cleared it perfectly in one go. My vampiric instincts took over, and I began to recognise the familiar Olympic peninsula smell of every lasting damp, wet foliage.

It took me just under three hours to reach the border of Forks. I started to slow down as I approached the city limits. My dead heart was trying to jump out of my chest, I was so nervous to see Edward. Would he be cold or would he be glad to see me? Maybe he wouldn't even be there. Deep down I knew he would never forgive me for leaving him.

I had contemplated going to the Cullen's palatial mansion in Port Angeles, as that was the last place I had lived with Edward.

But I realised that she would be here in Forks, where her birth certificate listed her place of birth.

Faded memories were running back through my mind, fuzzy images of my father and his booming smile... Lucy as a baby smiling at me happily... Mike and his crazed grin...and then a pair of golden eyes scorching with concern and everlasting love... I gasped and stopped dead in my tracks. I was already at the door of the house that once was a part of me, and those golden scorching eyes were not a memory but were actually staring at me intently.

"Bella..." whispered Edward, his brow furrowed and then smoothed. There was a ringing in my ears and I couldn't hear or even form words.

"Bella are you alright?" asked Edward alarmed, as his hands grabbed my forearms as if to steady me.

His hands felt hot to my skin and a sharp electric jolt rushed through my body breaking me from my dazed bewilderment.

'Hello Edward' I finally muttered, as he quickly let go of my arms, somewhat embarrassed or annoyed.

We stood there in dumb silence for longer than what was comfortable.

His eyes roamed over my face and body, and then he looked at my muddy feet and smirked. His eyebrow rose up as if in mock question.

I cleared my throat, and slowly turned around to walk onto the freshly manicured lawns and wipe my feet on the grass, to get as much mud off as possible. I could hear him silently laughing at me. My nerves had calmed down slightly, but I was still unsure how to react around him. I quickly slipped my stiletto's back on and smoothed down my hair in nervousness.

"I take it your here to drag Lucy back to Monaco" said Edward sarcastically as I walked back up the front stairs, he stood to the side to let me in.

The house was just as I remembered it. As I walked into the familiar living area a heavy fragrant scent hit me full in the face. It was beautiful, mass amounts of flowers covered every bare space, but nothing else had changed, except for some suspiciously new looking cream and pink cushions.

Just as I was turning to face Edward, I glimpsed the packed photo frames on the table under the television and my heart squeezed painfully for a moment. It was then that I realised he had never gotten over me.

"You're here just for her aren't you?" said Edward more sternly this time.

"Where is she Edward?" I asked with a note of panic tainting my voice. I ignored his question about who I was here for.

"She's in town" said Edward with his arms folded over his broad chest. I studied him for a long moment. He seemed changed... his eyes were golden and smouldering, his face angelic yet stern. I admired his expensive suit with the double breasted jacket and the navy blue shirt undone to his sternum. A pale smooth expanse of chest was visible beneath the shirt. He was tall and intimidating but something was different. He had a cold, hard edge to his eyes; it was almost an accusing glare.

"Edward you have no idea how concerned I've been... I... I thought I lost her!" I choked out as covered my face with my hands in stress.

I heard Edward groan ever so slightly. Then his strong arms wrapped around me. I fitted to his contours perfectly my face resting on his upper chest. I smelt his strong familiar scent of leather and musk. I almost sighed in contentment but held myself in check.

"Bella I'm so sorry for what has happened, you must be beside yourself with finding Lucy missing... but I need to ask, are you ok? Lucy said you were in Italy, when she told me I was distraught, do you realise how dangerous Italy is?" asked Edward finishing on a panicked note. He gently pulled back from our embrace and held me at arm's length to look into my eyes.

"Edward I'm fine my main concern is Lucy" I said distracted with worry for my daughter. He sighed in frustration and a small scowl formed on his brow.

"Promise me we'll talk after you've sorted things with Lucy, stay for a little while before you drag her back to Monaco" he said sternly, his gaze was intimidating.

I smiled weakly, neither accepting nor denying his request to stay. The garage door buzzed open and my head snapped up in surprise.

I walked firmly to the kitchen with Edward close behind. "Bella don't be too hard on her..." started Edward.

I growled under my breath.

Lucy walked through the door and chucked her purse on the kitchen counter like she did at home.

"Hey Edward!" she shouted out. "Can I open the champagne, I really feel like a drink..." she said loudly.

She looked up startled, seeing me in the doorway.

"Oh my god mom?" she said in surprise.

"GOD DAMN IT LUCY!" I cursed at her. My arms were crossed over my chest, I was fuming.

"Bella! Honey, calm down, I told you she was fine" cooed Edward. He had come up behind me, and I could feel his hand hesitantly touch my shoulder. I turned my head to Edward, and growled softly.

I quickly crossed the room to her and enveloped my baby girl in a crushing hug... "Lucy... oh my god Lucy... "I sobbed... I felt a sense of relief knowing she was ok. She hugged me back, I was so surprised.

I pulled her back and looked into her eyes, I then noticed what she was wearing and a small gasp escaped my lips, followed by a smile. 'You look beautiful" I said to her.

"Thanks' she smiled back at me a surge of love rushed through my chest.

"Mom it's time to put all the bull crap behind us, I know that you're a vampire, I know some of your past, it's time for you to tell me the rest" she said sternly.

I winced when she said 'vampire' and my hands stiffened. I sighed in defeat and hugged her close again.

"Alright Lucy I'll tell you, but don't you _ever_ run off without telling me where you're going, _ever_ again!" I said as I kissed my cold lips to her forehead.

"You are ok aren't you?' I said concerned. "Mom! I'm fine' she whined in typical Lucy style.

Edward chuckled low in his throat. I glanced up at him quickly, smiling at him slightly.

Perhaps you two should spend some time on the back veranda catching up" said Edward smoothly. I sighed frustrated as I was nervous to tell Lucy the past.

"We're going to need all night!' said Lucy as she opened the fridge. "And a bottle of Verve" she said happily as she pulled the French champagne out of the fridge. I scowled in disapproval. We made our way outside to the veranda.

Edward had disappeared silently into the house, but I could feel his eyes on me through the glass wall of the house.

Lucy had just finished telling me how she had found her birth certificate, and her trip from home to Forks.

I shook my head in disapproval at her story. "Oh Lucy" I said looking into her chocolate eyes that once used to be identical to my own.

"What happened to us?" I said crest fallen.

"Mom, you never told me what you were? I still have a hard time comprehending that now! You were never there when I needed you..."

'I'm always there for you Lucy!" I interrupted her.

"No you weren't mom! You were never there for school sport days, I never went to the beach or park with you, none of my friends have ever met you, you never came to parent teacher meetings, you shipped me all over Europe every year..." she was starting to get angry.

"How could I not think you weren't human? You look almost identical to me in age, we could be sister's not mother and daughter, you never got sick, you never sneezed or coughed and I never saw you asleep... what was I supposed to think?' she finished softly, her eyes were focused on me and there were pools of moisture forming in them.

This conversation was reminding me of a conversation I had with Edward fifteen years ago on New Year's Eve when he had first told me about being vampire.

"I'm sorry Lucy. I'm so sorry for never telling you what I was. There was no way I could tell you when you were little... there was never a good time..." I said sadly. I reached out and held her hand.

Her tears were slowly sliding down her soft cheeks. "I just want to know where you came from, who my dad was... Edward said he was dead?" she said.

I sighed in defeat. "Ok Lucy, I'll tell you what you want to know." I took a deep breath and combed back through my human thoughts that seemed to have happened a millennia ago.

"I was born in Forks to Charlie and Renee Swan. They were both very young and my mum became unhappy quickly. She left my dad and took me with her to New York City. My mum died in a car crash when I was 15, and I moved back to live with my only living relative, Charlie."

Lucy's brow had furrowed when I mentioned Renee dying in a car crash.

"It was then that I met your father. His name was Mike Newton, and we started dating from almost the moment I started at Forks High. He was big into sports and was very popular. I had planned to go to college and study Literature, your father, Mike, was going to follow in his father's political footsteps and study Politics and Law at the same college. The night of our Prom I fell pregnant with you, and then six weeks later your father dumped me and moved to college, and I was left to carry and birth you and then raise you by myself"

"Mom ... I'm so sorry" said Lucy awkwardly. She probably wasn't expecting to hear that her father was such a loser.

"I met Edward when you were two years old. I had a small rental not far from Charlie's and worked two jobs to make ends meet, Mike never contributed to your upbringing, he denied he was the father." I shifted in my seat at the uncomfortable memories.

'Edward and I became close quickly; he was obsessed with me, and wouldn't leave me alone. Slowly I grew to love his affections, he was smitten by you and treated you like you were his own" I said sadly at the memory.

"Months went by and your father started harassing me, for reasons I'll never know why." I said scrunching my smooth brow for a second. "Then on New Year's Eve, I found out what Edward was"

"Wait you never knew that you were dating a vampire?" said Lucy disbelievingly. "I knew that something wasn't right, perhaps I was too blinded with love or infatuation to really question it" I shrugged.

"That night my father Charlie died of a heart attack, and you were staying at his house for the night, but when I came back for you, you were gone' I said choking on the remembered emotions of panic.

"What? I was taken?!" said Lucy alarmed.

"Yes you were gone..." I said forlornly. 'Then the next thing I really remember is awaking to my new vampiric life and seeing you in Edward's arms"

"Hang on... what had happened to me?' said Lucy confused.

'Edward says that your father had kidnapped you and that I had gone after him, and he had hurt me..." I trailed off. I still don't 100% remember the events of that night. I still believe to this day that Edward had used that as an excuse to kill Mike.

"Edward mentioned something about that' said Lucy. I looked up at her and scowled in disapproval. "He wouldn't tell me much, just said that I needed to ask you about it, it wasn't his place to tell" added Lucy quickly. My scowl softened.

We sat there in silence for a long time. A light breeze picked up and the familiar wet smell of Forks wafted over the veranda.

"So how did my dad die?" asked Lucy curiously. I turned to look at my daughter for a long time, contemplating wether to tell her.

"Edward' was all I said.

"Oh" she gulped slightly and leaned back in her chair, her face turned toward the scenery of forest that bordered the back yard.

"So why did you leave Edward and Forks?" asked Lucy.

I sighed and tucked my legs up under me on my seat. "I had a hard time adjusting to this life" I began. "Lucy I didn't _want_ to be a vampire, this was the last thing I wanted! And when I had to finally accept what I was, I realised I didn't want to raise you in a nest of vampires! What kind of life would you have had?" I said upset.

"I did the best I could with you, to give you everything you needed!" I said hotly. I stood up quickly from my seat, noticing that Lucy did not flinch, she was used to my in human speed. I stood up against the railing looking out over the freshly manicured lawns.

I heard Lucy get up and come to stand next to me. I peered at her from the corners of my eyes. She sighed heavily and tried to control her breathing. She was visibly distressed.

"Why didn't you ... Change ... me?' she asked scared.

My head whipped around fiercely and I grabbed her upper arms roughly, remembering to control my strength.

"Don't you ever wish for that Lucy!' I said infuriated. What was she thinking! There was no way I would ever allow this to happen. She would go to college, get a degree, get married and have children and live happily ever after.

"Mom relax, I was just asking... I just thought it would have made sense!" she said annoyed at me.

"Lucy I am in pain every day... the smell of... blood... rips my throat apart, the no sleep, and not being able to eat haunts me... I would never want this for you" I sobbed pathetically as I crushed her to me in a mother bear hug.

"I love you Lucy, I'm sorry for everything that has happened between us, I promise I'll be more honest with you from now on" I said into her sweet smelling hair.

"I love you too mom" she said as she hugged me back. My heart swelled with joy and I looked up for a second to see Edward observing us from behind the glass wall of the house. He was smiling softly, his hand resting over his mouth in contemplation.

Lucy pushed back from me slightly to look up at me. "We're not going back to Monaco straight away are we?" she asked concerned.

"No... not straight away" I said, thinking it would be safe to lay low for a while in case I was being hunted by Aro. I banished the thought from my mind.

"Good, because I wouldn't have gone back with you anyway' said Lucy haughtily a small smile playing from her mouth. I rolled my eyes at her.

"Are you going to get back with Edward?" asked Lucy raising her eyebrow at me.

"Lucy! That's a very inappropriate question to ask!" I said embarrassed. I could see Edward turn and walk away from the window. I was not looking forward to my inevitable talk with Edward.

"You should have seen this place when I first arrived" said Lucy."What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"Oh my god mom it was a dump!' said Lucy. "The grass came up to my waist, there was dirt caked on the exterior of the house. Mould and dust covered the interior, it was awful" she said wrinkling her nose. "But then over night he must have cleaned the place from top to bottom it was amazing' she said shaking her head.

"Oh' was all I managed to say.

"Is it true that once a vampire becomes emotionally attached to someone will never lose that bond, no matter what happens to them?" asked Lucy curiously.

My dead heart was thudding in my chest, and anxiety rolled over me in waves. "I believe so Lucy" I whispered, thinking of Edward's pained expression on the day I had left.

"I think Edward is bonded to you' said Lucy sadly. She kissed my cheek and then walked back into the house. I heard her plonk onto the sofa and the TV switching on.

I let out a long breath and braced myself on the railing of the veranda. Twilight was settling over the tops of the forest, soft stars were visible in the sky line and I was mesmerised by the view.

"Well that went well" said Edward softly behind me. I nodded my head in response my back still to him. I felt his strong hands grip my shoulders, and his strong body press up against me. I could feel his hard muscles against the back of my body. I tried to hold my sobs in but I couldn't. My body weakened and my knees sagged slightly.

'Bella" murmured Edward, his voice pained. "Bella just let me hold you" he whispered. The sun sunk below the tree line and the air came became saturated in darkness. A strong moon had raised high into the sky, sending shafts of moonlight bouncing onto the veranda and back yard.

I let him wrap his arms around my waist, his mouth pressed into my hair; he inhaled deeply and groaned quietly. My breathing became laboured with sobs. His mouth found the side of my neck and he planted soft, sweet kisses along my bare skin. Electricity jolted through me with every kiss, and I almost sank into pleasure. It had been too long since I had been touched like this. Since _he_ had touched me like this.

I had expected him to beg me to stay and declare his undying love for me, they way he had before I had left. But instead he stayed silent and continued to squeeze my waist every now and then.

I turned slowly in his embrace, and his hands released me momentarily.

I looked up into his angelic face. "So you'll stay for a little while?" he asked, obviously having heard my conversation with Lucy.

I nodded, and continued to sob, my shoulders heaving. "Ssssh Bella" said Edward protectively. He cradled my head to his chest, and smoothed my hair down.

"I'm so sorry Edward... for leaving... for hurting you, for hurting myself and Lucy' I said my fists grabbing his jacket and pulling him closer. I could feel a smile forming on his lips.

He held me back at arm's length.

"We have a lot to talk about Bella" said Edward sternly, his smile disappeared.

He started to look unhappy.

"I know" I whispered softly looking up into his face.

I wasn't sure how mad he was at me, but there was a lot of anger there in his face, he was trying to hide it.

I didn't know what I felt, or what the future would hold. I didn't know if my future would be with Edward, but one thing I did know was that I wanted him to love me. I needed him to love me.

His face softened at my discomfort. "I never stopped loving you Bella" he said.

And then he kissed me.

**This is not the end; I still have a lot in mind. I know I haven't updated in a year. And I realised I will have lost a lot of readers. But if you still like this story please review.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Edward's point of view

Seeing Bella again was heart breaking. She was more beautiful than ever. When I opened that front door after hearing someone rapidly approach the house, I stared down into her now golden eyes and my heart ripped itself in two. It took every last ounce of my control to not grab her roughly by the neck and shake her. My emotions now roiling dangerously, I held her back at arm's length.

"We have a lot to talk about Bella" I said to her sternly, my face inches from her. Damn it! I wanted to kiss her, a lust started to form deep within my groin, but my simmering anger stamped that out quickly, I felt my face scowl.

Bella's sobs vibrated through my hands where they were clasped around her upper arms, holding her back so I could stare down at her face.

"I know" she whispered softly looking up at me. Her heart shaped face streaked with tears looked at me pleading.

The lust I was feeling started to heat up again. I scowled more deeply my emotions clashing violently. As I looked down into that heart breaking face I wasn't sure what the future would hold. I didn't know if she would want me in her future, but I did know that the selfish little bitch that had ripped my heart and my life apart was irrevocably mine

"I never stopped loving you Bella" I said, as my mouth crushed hers fiercely. She whimpered as she fell into my kiss. I moved my mouth faster over hers my hunger licking her tongue and her soft lips. I pushed my body forcefully against hers and pushed her back until she backed into the veranda railing. My erection was hardening quickly and I pushed it up against her lower stomach. She started to moan her whimpers sounding like a kitten. Her hands broke free of my tight embrace and she snaked her shaking hands into my mass of hair.

Suddenly images of her from long ago swirled into my muddled brain. Carlisle and I had been racing back to the house... _I was faster than Carlisle and had been showing off... I could see the glass wall of the house reflecting dully in the poor lighting... my eager smile had started to falter... and I suddenly had felt tense... something had been wrong...I had felt panicked and had pounded my way over the lawn and smashed through the back door... my dead heart had pounded quickly... I couldn't place my finger on it... there was something terribly wrong...?_

_Carlisle had come bounding in after me... "Edward what is it...?" Carlisle had said... there had been no one in the house... except Esme`... she had come striding in through the kitchen... "Edward!" she had said surprised..._

"_You're back early..." she had said sternly... Her thoughts had been blocking me... _

"_Where's Bella?" I had asked angrily. _

"_BELLA?!" I had yelled loudly... my heart had frozen with fear... I had heard noises out on the front drive... I had sprinted through the house to the large double stone doors and threw them open..._

"_BELLA! NO!" I had yelled in fear as I felt Carlisle and Esm_e` running up behind me... They _clamped down on me... and pinned me to the floor of the front porch... I remember sobbing in anger and fear...my gorgeous angel was putting suitcases into the back of her car; Lucy was balanced on one hip... Lucy started to cry at the sight of me, her little arms outstretched towards me..._

"_Edward I'm so sorry...' Carlisle had said... "I had no idea' he had said to me _

"_Let her go!" Esme` had said sternly... Bella had looked at me pinned to the ground, her face had been unreadable... I remember her shaking slightly... her beautiful gorgeous body was dressed in jeans and a warm sweater... she had her large handbag in hand and had quickly put Lucy in the car..._

_I had continued to scream and sob angrily, trying to throw my parents off me..._

"_I LOVE YOU BELLA, PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE ME... PLEASE BELLA... PLEASE STAY... YOU'RE MINE!" I had screamed over and over...I remember the feeling of my heart being ripped into tiny sharp shards that cut my insides as they fell to the pit of my stomach... I had seen her body shake more as she looked back at me one last time... I swear I caught a look of heartache on her face... she wouldn't leave me, she couldn't! She had promised she was mine... she promised!_

_She had quickly got into her car and revved it to life..._

"_NO BELLA..." my voice had trailed as she sped off down the drive..._

_She was gone..._

Anger coursed through me and I broke our kiss, panting heavily from my frustration and lust. "Edward what's wrong" she asked timidly her face full of concern and confusion. She touched her lips with her manicured fingers, still feeling the lingering burn of our first kiss in 15 years.

My hand snatched out and I wrapped her long hair around my fist twisting it until her head pulled back and my hand was under the nape of her neck, I looked at her angrily my brow furrowing and my lips curling back.

"WHY BELLA?" I snarled at her. "TELL ME WHY YOU LEFT ME WITHOUT TALKING TO ME, WITHOUT A WORD OF WHERE YOU WERE GOING?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU DID TO ME? I WAS RIPPED OPEN! YOU DESTROYED ME BELLA!"

Her head was tilted back her face inches from my own. I could see her emotions rippling across her face, she was scared, confused, guilty, her lower lip trembling.

"Edward please just let me go and we can talk" she whimpered. My breathing was heavy, laboured. My eyes darted over her face searching for the answers I was looking for. We stared into each other's eyes trying to uncover what the other was thinking and feeling. Eventually my grip loosened from her hair and I gently unwound the long strands from my fingers.

I turned away from her sharply and ran my hands through my tangled hair, gripping the roots in frustration.

"Edward..." she had begun.

"Fuck it I need a drink first" I muttered without looking at her. I stormed back into the house and made my way into the living area. I noticed that Lucy must have gone upstairs. Hopefully she was asleep and her human ears wouldn't be able to hear our conversation. I grabbed the scotch decanter from the liquor cabinet and stormed back out again, my thoughts swirling with images of the day she left me.

I sank fluidly into an outside chair, and flicked the top of the decanter, not caring that the expensive crystal had dropped to the floor. I took a large swig of the cool amber liquid, my eyes locked on Bella. Night had settled and there were no lights on, except for the twinkling of the stars. I could still see her perfectly in the dark. She hadn't changed at all in the last 15 years. Her skin was creamy and soft, and made her dark mahogany hair glisten against the smooth expanse. My eyes zoomed in on her killer curves – from her full breasts straining against the thin white satin of her blouse, to her narrow waist and then the curves of her shapely hips and thighs encased in a tight short skirt, her legs were accentuated with high dark blue stiletto's. My erection pulsed angrily as I tried to tear my gaze from her body.

I took another swig.

"Edward I know this must be hard for you to suddenly find Lucy on your doorstep and then have I turn up here after all these years" she began, fidgeting with her curls. I scowled at her and took another long swig, enjoying the burn on the way down my throat.

"I just need you to know that I thought I was doing the right thing" she said softly as she sank down beside me on a chair.

"How could leaving me be the right thing?' I spat out at her, my gaze fixed on the forest beyond our house.

"Edward you must realise that this was all about Lucy, I had to give her the best chance possible at having a normal life! I couldn't raise her properly in a nest of vampires!" she said loudly, starting to get upset.

"We could have raised her together; we could have given her a loving, perfect life... with two parents who were in love with each other. I paused and asked the one thing that had been on my mind for 15 years. "Did you ever love me Bella?" I asked her. I had put the scotch down and was now staring at her, she must have loved me at some point, surely she had loved me? I needed to hear her say it.

"Edward of course I loved you" she started. My chest soared with triumph but then came crashing down again - Loved? So she no longer did. I pulled out my slim silver cigar case and pulled out one of my last cigars, lighting it up and inhaling the succulent scent. I leant my head back and puffed out a cloud of smoke.

She sighed in exasperation. My gaze snapped back to hers and I looked at her frustrated expression.

"Edward this conversation is pointless – you're so...so... arrogant and obsessive and controlling!" she said getting more frustrated, springing up from her chair.

"It doesn't matter what I say, you'll always try to control the situation" she turned away from me tossing her curls over her shoulder and looked out at the dark forest.

I pinched the skin between my brows, my eyes closed as I inhaled deeply, the cigar perched between my fingers, still swirling its fragrant smoke.

I needed a new approach.

"Bella, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you that, please, I'm not trying to pick a fight, it's just I can't control my emotions right now" I sighed.

"Tell me about your life after you...left" I grunted out.

She turned around to look at me, her brows raised.

"Please I'm curious' I said to her, sucking on my cigar again.

She sighed and sat back down, crossing her sexy legs, making her skirt raise higher. My eyes were glued to her bare skin.

Bella started her tale of life after she left me. She told me the cities she had dragged Lucy to year after year, her fear of being a vampire, forcing her to move less she was found out. She had enrolled in night school and finally completed a literary degree. I had smiled at the thought of her finally accomplishing her dream. She had started to write and had made a living from her novels, when I had asked her if she had brought any with her that I could read, she refused outright "I would never allow you to read my work!" she said mortified, almost embarrassed.

She then proceeded to tell me about the last few years of her life so far, and launched into detail about how rebellious Lucy had become, she wrung her hands as she described Lucy's rude behaviour, her emotional outbursts and the drinking and smoking.

I shook my head and puffed on my cigar once more. "I have to admit I was shocked when she pulled out a packet of cigarettes and started to smoke in front of me"

"I don't know what went wrong Edward" she said softly putting her head in her hands.

My mood started to lift slightly as I felt a connection forming between us. Bella obviously needed someone to talk to about Lucy.

"Do you know how she found her way here?" I asked Bella, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving her a light squeeze. Bella sighed and proceeded to explain Lucy finding her birth certificate and some old documents Bella had hidden from when she was human.

"So next thing I know, Lucy's best friend is screaming insults from our answering machine, and I figured she hadn't gone on her vacation with her friends. I called her cell as soon as I realised and she told me she was here" said Bella throwing her hands in the air exasperated.

I leant forward on my chair, my arms resting on my solid thighs, my shirt was pushed up to my elbows, the strong muscles returning to life after over a decade of starvation, my immortal body had not given up and died like I had wanted it too, it had kept me on the edge until I had finally regained my strength with blood. My muscles were still not developed to their normal size, and it would probably take several weeks until I regained my full strength. "Bella, Lucy has obviously had a tough time trying to dig into both her past and yours, I'm sorry she has given you so much grief, but I promise you I will help you with her, and help her to adjust to this new life," I took a deep breath and prepared myself for what I was about to say next. "I think both you and Lucy should stay here with me for a while, it's not safe for you to be anywhere near Italy or your home in Monaco"

Bella's wide eyes stared at me in horror. "How did you know, where I was?" she whispered. She had only told me she had gone 'abroad' as she was telling me how Lucy had gotten here. She was obviously trying to hide the fact she had been with the Volturi. I looked at her fragile hands shaking slightly with fear. A low growl rumbled through my chest, I quickly snatched her from her chair and gathered her in my lap. My hand snaked up behind her nape and I tilted her head to stare into her eyes. "I will NEVER let a Volturi come near you ever again, do you understand me?" I said sternly. My fear for her safety was escalating as I thought of all the things those stinking Italian vampires could have done to her.

"Edward I'm sorry, I was so scared, I had no choice..." I cut her words off with a fierce kiss. My lips hungrily prying hers open, my tongue snaking into her soft, warm mouth. I groaned at the feeling of her tongue reciprocating. My other hand travelled over her back, pressing her into me, I felt down over her generous behind and hips and squeezed her thigh possessively. Against her lips I whispered "Sssh baby, I promise I won't let anything happen to you or Lucy, just tell me you'll stay". She nodded against my mouth, her hands holding onto dear life at the sides of my face.

I felt my mouth form into a grin, as I continued to kiss my Bella.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Ugh! Mom and Edward were making out _again_. I had come downstairs to ask mom if I could rummage through her closet. She had some seriously cool vintage tags, and I was trying to find a hot outfit for my date with Chris tonight. As I had rounded the corner to find where my mother was I stopped in my tracks as I stared in horror, amusement, and disgust all rolled into one, to see my prim and proper mother up against the wall with her legs wrapped around Edwards muscular back, one of his hands was firmly planted on her ass holding her up, while the other was wrapped in her hair. They were groaning and dry humping like animals.

"Mom! Can you and Edward please stop making out for like 5 minutes!" I said exasperated, stomping my foot, making the hair rollers in my hair bounce. Mom and Edward had been nonstop making out, fighting, screaming, apologising and begging ever since she had arrived here. I was getting exhausted from watching the nonstop real life soap opera play out before me.

Mom and Edward quickly disentangled themselves from each other and readjusted their clothes in a blink of an eye. They must have been so absorbed in each other, that their super human hearing had not registered my arrival, intruding on their bout of humping.

I stared in horror at the long crack that ran up the wall behind them; it would take me some time to comprehend their strength as immortals. "What's wrong sweetheart?" said my mother as she came to stand before me. Today she was in another blue ensemble, a wrap around dress that hugged her curves, and killer gold stiletto's glinted dangerously as she walked.

"Apart from seeing you two make out like gorillas?" I said rudely. Mom gasped, as Edward chuckled and strolled over to the liquor cabinet, fixing himself a drink, his shirt still ripped open to his stomach, his hair a mess, he was a completely different man (I guess I should say vampire) to when I first met him 48 hrs ago.

"I need a cute outfit for tonight" I said to my mom, throwing my hands up. "Why?" she asked suspiciously crossing her arms and tapping her foot.

"Well if you two had pried yourselves apart for at least a second, I could have told you that I have a date tonight" I said exasperated, as I turned around and marched back up the stairs. I stormed into my mother and Edwards's room, knowing that she would follow. I started rummaging through the racks upon racks of seriously cool clothes my mother had. "I've only been here for 24 hrs and you already have a date?" said my mother exasperated, appearing beside me silently like a ghost.

"What's wrong with that, it's not a big deal" I said raising my brows as I picked up a red sequin scrap of material that looked like it might have been a skirt or an incredibly tiny dress. I turned and faced my mother, brows still raised, looking at her questioningly. Mom snatched the red scrap of fabric and stuffed it into a draw.

"That was a long time ago" she said almost embarrassed. 'So are you going to tell me about this boy?" said my mother, folding herself silently onto the sitting sofa in the middle of the gigantic closet. I continued to rummage through clothes, trying to find something that said 'sexy, but not _too _sexy, classy but not snobby'.

"I met him when I went grocery shopping at the Thriftway, and then again at the steak house on the edge of town' I said shrugging my shoulders, not looking at her, as I examined a black dress.

"And he is a boy right? He's not, you know, _non human?" _ Said my mother timidly. I sighed. "Yes mom he's human" I said trying the black dress on. I looked at myself in the mirror, and saw my mother's uptight shoulders sag in relief. The dress clung to my thin frame, and stopped just below my ass. "No!' said my mother fiercely, springing up from her position and pulling out a loose flowing maxi dress. I scowled at her in the mirror, shaking my head.

45 minutes later I was dressed in skin tight designer jeans, cute black halter top and matching pumps. Mom had miraculously done my hair and makeup in record time. I looked down at my watch. "Oh shit! I'm going to be late!" I said getting up from the makeup chair and grabbing my clutch.

"What he's not coming to pick you up?" said my mother astounded, hands on her hips.

I paused in my mad dash and looked over my shoulder at her, "Do you really think he'll believe you were my mom?" I said incredously. I marched down the stairs; hand on the rail to help my balance in these huge pumps. "No, but you could at least introduce me as your sister or something!" said my mom following me down the stairs.

"What's going on?" said Edward appearing silently at the bottom of the stairs, drink in hand. His eyes locked onto my mother. I smiled to myself as I saw the unabashed adoration he had for my mom. His face lit like the sun as soon as his gaze was on her. "Lucy's _date_ is not picking her up, so I don't get to meet him and make sure he's decent or at least not wearing leather and driving a motor bike!" I winced to myself as I remembered the date I had had with this guy back home. His rumbling motorbike had come hurtling into our apartment complex driveway at 4am. My mother had been leaning out over the balcony railing and nearly given herself a conniption when she saw me clambering off the back of his bike, looking like a biker mole as I drunkenly pashed him, before he sped off.

"Baby give her a break, she's just going on a date in Forks. _Forks _Bella, no night clubs or biker bars, she's probably just going back to jack's steak house, right sweetheart?" he said looking at me, while he cradled my distressed mother's head against his chest. I shrugged and continued to walk towards the garage, "That's probably where we'll end up" I said, thinking there really wasn't anywhere else to go in Forks. "Do you mind if I take your car again Edward?" I asked over my shoulder. "Sure" he said nonchalantly as my mother told me to make sure I had protection. I groaned as I slammed the door to the garage, glad I was leaving this mad house for the night.

**Chris's View**

I stepped out of my small shower, and shook my wet hair, running my hands through it. I stared at myself in the mirror above my tiny sink. I took a deep breath and drummed my fingers against the cracked porcelain. What was I doing? Going on a date with a human girl? I punched the wall next to the mirror. And grimaced at the hole I left in its wake. I stormed out to the hall and then into my bedroom. I stabbed my legs into my jeans and pulled a dark grey, tight fitting t shirt over my head, before stomping into my shit kicker combat boots. I scowled again at my reflection on the mirror covering my wardrobe. My dark brown eyes glowed Amber with emotion. I reached over to my nightstand and grabbed my only piece of jewellery, my wolf necklace. I slung it over my head and watched the small wolf pendent on the end of the long thin leather strap, settle against my lower sternum. I scowled again and stuffed it inside my shirt. There was something about Lucy that drew me to her. She was rude and obnoxious, obviously came from money, but something didn't seem to click together. She was almost hiding behind herself, not willing to reveal her true self. I wanted to bring down those walls one by one. I groaned at the thought of her, and shoved my concerns aside. Fuck it, I was going to go on this date and have a damn good time, even if she wasn't _mine_.

I left my room and trailed into my tiny, run down kitchen. I yanked the old fridge door open and grabbed a beer. Popping the cap with my teeth, I spat it out and it landed beside Hank. He sniffed it curiously, then deciding it wasn't a tasty morsel, he lay his head down again and closed his eyes. I grinned at the white and black wolf that had decided to become my friend. I bent down and scratched behind his ears, as I sculled back my beer at the same time. He rumbled in appreciation but still kept his eyes closed. I glanced at the clock in my kitchen, and cursed to see the time was nearly 5:30. I had closed the shop a half hour early at 5, so I could get ready for my date. I quickly ran around my small apartment, and shoved dirty clothes into any spare cupboard I could find. Dropped empty beer bottles and cigarette butts from my party the other night into the trash can. I tried to make my dingy apartment look more acceptable and tidy, but then gave up quickly realising that even a quick clean wouldn't make this dump look nice.

I grabbed another beer from the fridge and saw the time was 5:30pm. I sculled that back quickly, and messed my hair up a bit, hoping she liked what she saw when she arrived. I paced nervously through my living room, Hank opening one eye to watch me.

6:10pm. Fuck. I just got stood up. I realised then I didn't even have her number to call. My shoulders slumped and I let out a sigh as I went back to the fridge to get another beer. My teeth ground together and a muscle ticked in my lower jaw. I can't believe she stood me up. I desperately wanted to see her, to feel the pull of the imprint, like I had at the steak house. My enhanced hearing, heard a powerful car roaring down the road about a mile out. I looked out my dirty window and four seconds later saw a red sports car screeching to a halt in front of the gas tanks outside my shop. I watched amused as she fumbled with the door and pushed it open, almost tripping on ridiculously high shoes. I groaned under my breath at the sight of her ass in those skin tight jeans and felt myself harden in my pants. Hank had gotten up from his spot on my rug, his pointed ears alert at the presence of another person. I yanked open the door as I heard her struggling to climb the steps up to my apartment. She looked up at me apologetically as she climbed the remaining stairs. 'Sorry I'm late" she said shyly smiling up at me, biting her lip. My gaze scanned her from head to toe. Her tiny legs were encased in tight dark denim, her delicate feet elevated in black sexy shoes. I sucked in a breath, as I saw her small, but round breasts trapped in a swath of black fabric. Her long dark hair fanned out over one shoulder.

'I lost track of the time myself" I lied as I smiled and opened the door for her to walk in. She gasped at the sight of Hank. He had trotted over and was now sniffing her hand curiously. "Oh my god, he's magnificent!" she exclaimed. 'Is he a wolf?" she asked amazed, looking over her shoulder at me. I nodded at her as she started patting his head. He yipped once and then bolted out the door, down the stairs and off into the darkness.

"Oh shit I'm sorry, I left the door open!" she said mortified as she went to hurry down the stairs after him. "Hey, its fine, he'll back when he feels like it, or at least when he's hungry' I said grabbing her upper arm and pulling her back inside. "He's not your pet?' she asked me. "No, more like a visitor" I said smiling down at her.

After about five minutes of awkward conversation and trying hard not to stare at her body, I asked her if she wanted to get going. "Sure" she said brightly as she carefully made her way down my front steps. I grinned behind her, shaking my head at her ridiculous shoes. She went to go to her car, fumbling in her purse for her keys. I grabbed her forearm and pulled her close to my chest. "Why don't you let me drive" I said hotly in her ear. She shivered and I felt her skin goose bump from my breath. She fit perfectly against my chest, her head only reaching my sternum. She felt amazing to hold. I breathed in her warm scent of lavender and milk and only just barely hid my groan. A slight tugging started in my chest. I rubbed it uncomfortably. She looked up at me with hooded eyes, giving her head a small shake. "Well it's just that, it's not my car, so I don't know if that would be a good...'

I cut her off as I spun her around to face my bike. It was my pride and joy. My Honda CBR1100XX Black bird. "No baby, I mean let me drive my ride" I said smugly to her. Enjoying the feel of her pert ass against my groin. I barely stopped myself from rubbing my hands down her body. The suddenly Lucy began to laugh. I felt my brow pucker and then scowl as I interpreted her laughter about my bike. "What's funny?" I demanded.

She craned her head backwards to look at me. "My mother is going to just _love_ you" she drawled as she stared back at the bike. I felt my chest puff up with pride at the thought of her wanting to introduce me to her mother.

**Lucy's Point of View**

I sighed and gripped onto Chris's muscular frame as his powerful and incredibly fast bike pulled into the parking lot of Jack's Steak House. Of course I had known this is where we would probably end up, there was literally nowhere else to go in Forks.

I was probably overdressed to be at the steak house, but if that bitch ass waitress was working tonight, at least I knew I'd be looking hot. Chris helped me from the bike; these shoes were not shoes to be wearing on a bike. I pulled off the helmet and fluffed my hair quickly, hoping I didn't look too messy with my helmet hair. My gaze dipped to his powerful chest as he reached for the helmet, his tight grey shirt, hugged his bulging biceps and stretching perfectly over his large pecs. Both arms were tattooed with sexy tribal designs, the tattoo must have continued onto his pecs as a small edge of it was visible at the deep v neck line of his shirt. He caught my gaze and a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

After stowing the helmets, he slung his arm over my small shoulders and led me inside. His masculine scent that reminded me of a mix of forest and leather rolled into one assaulted my senses and made my groin tingle with anticipation.

The steakhouse was fairly busy and we waited a few minutes until surprise, surprise the bitch waitress from last time sauntered over. Her face broke into a smile at seeing Chris, but then those beady eyes narrowed at his powerful arm over my shoulders, until finally her gaze rested on my face. She slowly did the elevator stare on me, and then her scowl deepened. I smirked at her obvious jealousy. "Chris" she said tilting her chin up. "What can I do for you tonight?" she said with a hand on her hip. Her small denim shorts only just covered her ass.

"Table for two Brit" he said without giving her a glance. Britney (or bitch ass waitress as I liked to call her) rolled her eyes and grabbed two grimy menus from the hostess station and stormed over to the middle of the restaurant, she slapped the menus down on a small poky table that was smack bang in the centre of the noisy establishment.

Chris stretched up to his full height and then leaned down so his gaze was level with Britney. "Come on Brit, this is the shittest table you have, why don't we sit in that free booth?' he said nodding his head to a private booth, in the corner of the restaurant. Something in his eyes must have spooked her, as she gulped and nodded quickly. Picking up the menu's she placed them on the table at the booth in the corner and left without a word.

I slid into my seat and flipped my long hair over my shoulder. I wanted to impress him tonight, let him know how amazing I was and get him begging for more. It had been a long time since anyone had taken a real interest in me. Well there was Ambrose, but I had slipped him off, as much as vampires had a certain sex appeal to them, and Ambrose had definitely been sexy, he was far too crazy and erratic, besides there was something about a **hot** blooded male that just made me lustful. On that note, my eyes lowered to his bulging muscles again. Chris leaned back in his seat and grinned at my reaction. I felt my face blush slightly as I was busted for perving on him.

"So Lucy, how do you like Forks?" he asked me. His gaze roamed my face like he was searching for answers. I tapped my manicured nails on the dirty laminated wood. "It's interesting' I smiled at him. "But it's not what I'm used to"

"What are you used to?' he asked me almost sternly. His dark eyes seemed to glow for a moment. His gaze was burning a hole through me; he was completely riveted to my face. I paused almost embarrassed at his intense glare before answering his question. "Well even though I was born here, I don't remember Forks. I was pretty much dragged all over Europe growing up." I fidgeted with my nails, the subject of my child hood sending little angry prickles over my skin. His eyes narrowed as if he could see and sense my discomfort.

"Where in Europe did you live?" he pressed me. I sighed and leaned back in my seat. "Pretty much every country. I remember as a small girl living in London and being excited to ride the red double decker buses, the freezing cold and sleet in Edinborough, the rolling Green hills in Ireland, the magnificent castles in Germany, we also lived for a while in Scandinavia and the summer days were endless, never growing dark. We lived in Amsterdam, Prague, Warsaw, and Moscow..." I trailed off as I saw the look of astonishment on his face.

"That must have been hard' he said, his face softening. I felt his fingers edge closer towards mine on the table.

"Do you know what you want yet?" drawled Britney. The magic of our little moment was disturbed by bitch ass waitress. Her blonde curls were high and bouncy, her lips glossier than when we first came in. Chris ignored her and looked up at me. "What do you feel like babe?" he said smiling down at me, his dark eyes melting into pools of amber liquid. I shivered at his use of the word babe and then shook my head to clear my gaze from his face. 'Just a Cesar salad and a scotch on the rocks please" I said handing the grimy menu to Britney without looking at her.

"Are you sure you just want a salad?" he asked concerned. I rolled my eyes and nodded at him. "Well in that case I'll get a rump with the side of mash and veg, garlic bread and a corona" he said flicking the menu at Britney and giving me a wolfish grin. "You're going to eat all that by yourself?" I asked incredously. Britney sighed and stormed off.

"I like to eat' was all he said.

"So why did your mom drag you around all those cities?' he asked, his gaze penetrating into me again. I shifted uncomfortably. "I guess we just didn't really fit in anywhere' was all I said shrugging. I imagined telling him it was because really my mother was a vampire and never told me, so we had to move each year, as she never aged and never came out in the sun. I pictured him staring at me dumbfounded, then burst out laughing, shaking his head as he left me alone in this dump of a restaurant. I shook my head slightly to clear the image.

He wiped his hand over his mouth and then leaned his elbows on the table. I watched his biceps bulge dangerously. His head tilted forward and the shaggy strands of his black hair hid his face.

"So you came back to find your dad?' he finally asked. I almost gasped at the look of pain on his face. Perhaps father talk was a touchy subject for him.

"You could say that" I said guardedly, unsure how to tell him my situation with Edward. I tried to turn the conversation towards him.

"So you mentioned the other night that your mom and dad live on the local reservation?" I asked curiously. He was about to answer when Britney slammed our drinks down on the table, spilling scotch all over the dirty laminated wood.

I swear I heard Chris growl under his breath. Britney tensed and scurried away.

He stayed silent.

I played with the ice in my drink.

"We don't have to talk about your family if you don't want to" I said. I snaked my hand up behind my neck, rubbing my tense muscle, unsure how to open him up. He was so damn hot and cold like the other night. One minute his gaze was intense and smouldering like he wanted to own me, the next he was colder than ice.

He sighed and picked up a toothpick packet from the jar on the table. Ripping the paper open he placed the tooth pick between his teeth and started to roll the tooth pick around like most American males I had met.

'No it's ok. My mom lives on the reservation, I grew up there, but had a pretty shitty child hood" he shrugged and looked up at me. "Like most people I guess' he said, as if not wanting to draw pity upon himself.

"My mom fell in love with the tribal chief's son. She was only 17...' his knuckles whitened on the edge of the table. "Anyway long story short, she fell pregnant with me and the Chief's son left the res to follow his dream, he never even realised she was pregnant" I stared at him, feeling my lower jaw pop open. His mom's story was really similar to my own.

"Did he ever come back?" I asked timidly. He sucked on his beer thoughtful for a while. "yeah but the tribal elders made my mom swear she would deny him as the father, she was suppose to tell everyone that she fell pregnant to a man in another tribe". My mouth popped open even more. "What! Why? That's just so _horrible_' I said astounded. His gaze met mine. "He was an up and coming champion surfer, he left the res and moved to Hawaii to pursue his career, he married someone else and to this day has no idea I even exist".

"But what about the rest of his family, the Chief? Surely he had brothers and sisters?" I asked mortified.

"Nah, he was an only child, my uh, grandfather, I guess you could say, died some time ago, didn't want to know me" My hand was covering my mouth in grief for him. I reached out and placed my hand on his. "I'm sorry that happened to you" I said to him. His fingers stiffened under my hand, they were shaking slightly. His gaze flickered over my face, those dark eyes almost glowing, his fingers curled around mine and tightened their grip like he was never letting go.

After that we seemed to have formed some sort of connection or understanding. We talked for ages about our school life, our shared love for action movies, favourite food, and music. He asked me about my friends and any past or recent boyfriends. His gaze had been so heated I thought I would melt under his interrogation when I spoke of the few previous boyfriends I had had. I asked about his business, whether he had ever travelled. To which he answered he had never left the state of Washington.

The food was pretty ordinary and I was concerned that bitch ass might have spat in my food. I watched Chris power down his ginormous meal. He watched me get drunk on straight scotch, and advised I would not be driving home. I was hoping he meant I would have to stay at his place.

Through our date the sexual tension started to build. I caught his eyes on my cleavage several times, looking like he wanted to devour my breasts. I shifted every time his muscles flexed or moved, my panties starting to dampen with lust. His fingers trailed lazily over my forearms sending shivers dancing over my heated skin.

It was my slight (and embarrassing) groan that led him to end our date at Jack's Steak House. He had trailed those hot fingertips over my inner arm, and the sensitive skin led me to slip out that groan.

"I think it's time we left here baby" he said darkly to me. I nodded dumbly at him, fumbling in my ridiculous shoes, the alcohol clearly not helping, we left no tip for Britney and he quickly led me outside by his hand on the small of my back. My skin burned and tingled from his touch, the heat of his fingers surprising me.

As I climbed onto the back of his bike, his voice was rough, sensual; he almost had a hard time getting his words out. "Christ Lucy, you have no idea how much you turn me on seeing you like this on the back of my bike" his hand shook as he ran it down over his mouth. Next thing I knew his rough warm hand was snaking up behind my neck, his grip on my hair hard but pleasurable, he tugged until my head tilted back, then his hot lips crashed down onto mine, forcing my lips apart his tongue met mine and a low grumble sounded from deep within his chest. I kissed him back just as rough, my small hands clamping onto his large biceps, squeezing and holding onto dear life. We could have been kissing for hours or maybe we were only kissing for a minute, I was so wrapped up in heated bliss that I didn't want it to end. I whimpered into his kiss and pushed myself closer to him. Warmth pooled in my lower belly and started to travel further down. I rocked my hips slightly on the back of his powerful bike. He broke the kiss for a moment and snarled at me, his white teeth flashing in the dim lighting of the car lot. He bit out, "Lucy, stop rocking on my bike like that, or so help me I won't be able to control myself" his breathing was laboured, his gaze intense staring into my own eyes. So I rocked my hips again, biting down on my swollen lower lip at the same time. With another growl his hands dropped to my hips and he hoisted me up in one single move, his hands shifted to cup my ass and he forced my legs to wrap around his hips. I could feel his hard erection straining against his jeans, pushing against my sensitive groin. My head fell back and I moaned in pleasure. His hands squeezed my ass again and again, his mouth on my neck, nuzzling my skin, sucking, biting licking the sensitive flesh. We continued like this for god knows how long. All I knew was that I wanted to spend the night with him like this, I never wanted to let go.

"Lucy" he choked out. I mumbled something incoherently and continued to kiss along his strong jawline. He growled low in his throat, sending shivers up my spine. "Ah Lucy, stop, please, stop" he whispered hoarsely as his big hand cupped the side of my face. He must have been super strong to hold me up with one hand only. I looked up at his eyes groggily; I was lost in a haze of masculine lust. "Baby, your too drunk to drive home….I could drop you off... but I don't want you to go home yet, I'm afraid what will happen if you come back to my place" he almost whispered the words. His dark eyes seemed to glow to amber, his face only inches from mine, I could feel his warm breath on my face.

"Take me back to yours…." was all I said to him as I continued to kiss and nip his jawline. He groaned in either frustration or lust, or maybe it was both.

As he reluctantly let go of me and sat me down on the back of his bike, he whispered to me as he kick started his powerful ride, roaring and snarling to life, his eyes intense, and his mouth hard set, he almost look angry, pained "There's no turning back now…."


End file.
